Open floatations
Float effortlessly in our open, spacious pool of lovely warm water and Epsom salts. Experience profound relaxation, enjoy the physical and mental health benefits and relieve stresses, aches and pains.
What is floating?
You lie still in a peaceful space, in warm, body-temperature water, with your head on a pillow or the water. A high concentration of Epsom salts, dissolved in the water, means you float effortlessly, about a third of your body above the water line. The room is bathed in candlelight or soft, coloured lighting and most people listen to tranquil music or meditations.
It’s as near as you can get to experiencing weightlessness on Earth, in a state of peaceful, profound relaxation.
Floating provides far more than just peace and tranquillity. It shields you from the normal sensory demands on your vision, hearing and touch, and from the usual constant pull of gravity on your organs, muscles and joints. It offers relief for a wide range of medical conditions. And it opens your connective tissue (the fascia) to enhance the sense of spaciousness and weightlessness. As you lie, you slow down and feel the release of physical, mental and emotional tension. You experience a level of relaxation like no other and the opportunity to move into a deeply meditative state.
An hour of floatation brings wonderful physical health and mental health benefits that can last for days. Regular floats can have a deeper, cumulative effect that stays with you for much longer. More profound relaxation is also experienced when a float follows a massage or sauna.
If you’re ready to book a float, scroll down to the bookings section of the page.
“This was an amazing therapeutic experience. I felt I experienced something entirely new, a way and level of relaxation that is rare. Being held by water was womblike and other worldly. It felt like a detox for my skin too. Lovely space.” Kirat R (thank you, Kirat)
How do I float?
When you enter our lovely floatation suite, you’ll see that it includes a changing area, a shower and the pool room itself, all exclusive to you. The pool easily accommodates two tall adults and you can use it alone or with a companion. It is not a tank and does not have a cover or ‘lid’: the pool is open to the air. The water in it, suffused with a high concentration of Epsom salts for your buoyancy, is about 26cm (10 inches) deep and is heated constantly to around skin temperature: lovely and warm.
After undressing and showering, and wearing only a bathing costume, you step into the pool, sit down in the water and slowly lie back until your head is touching the water surface or a pillow (your choice). As you lie back, your body gradually rises to the water’s surface of its own accord. Then you do nothing. For a unique, wonderful hour, your body, mind and soul can enjoy incredible relaxation and the opportunity to move into a deeply meditative state.
How does it work?
In the warm water is dissolved 300kg of Epsom salts. This high concentration of salts allows your body to float effortlessly, ensuring your buoyancy with no movement, thought or effort from you. The Epsom salts also nourish and soften your skin without wrinkling it like sea salt does. The therapeutic benefits stem from this effortless, deep relaxation.
Sharing
There’s plenty of room if you want to share your float with a companion, whether as a couple or with a relative, friend or carer.
For more information and answers to specific questions, from general ‘dos and don’ts’ to pregnancy, periods and much more, scroll down to our FAQs at the bottom of the page.
Benefits of floating
Unity floatation therapy in such a peaceful space offers very many benefits to the body and mind – medical, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – and, should you wish, provides a perfect meditative environment. Select any of the four tabs below to see some of these benefits.
Medical benefits
Floatation therapy has many physical, mental and emotional benefits and there are many medical conditions which have been shown to benefit from floatation therapy (have a look at THE SCIENCE tab).
Medical conditions include anxiety, depression, insomnia, arthritis, back pain, pre-menstrual tension, post-natal depression, asthma, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular conditions, osteoporosis, synovitis and long covid … to name a few.
Floating offers relief for general aches and pains, through deep muscular relaxation. It helps with nervousness. It offers complete physical and mental de-stressing. It even offers relief for jet lag.
Relaxation
At the heart of a Unity floatation experience is the reduction in demands on your body and consciousness. Floating takes you away from the overload of stimuli and noise that bombard your senses all day long. It gives your muscles and connective tissues (also known as the fascia) the rare chance to rest from the normal demands of gravity – far more effectively than lying in even the most comfortable bed. The opening of your fascia enhances the sense of spaciousness and weightlessness.
Indeed, it’s said that just one hour of floatation therapy is much more refreshing than a full night’s sleep.
As a result, the relaxation you experience can be profound. As you lie partly submerged in the warm, buoying water, you can feel yourself slowing down and your physical, mental and emotional tension lifting. You feel both physically and emotionally lighter.
You experience a depth of relaxation that is found nowhere else.
Meditation benefits
Floatation therapy is deeply relaxing – for the body, mind and soul. It is also excellent for meditation, deepening your spiritual journey inwards towards a powerful presence and peace.
It is not uncommon for people emerging from a floatation session to talk about how moving and profound the experience was for them.
A floatation therapy session is a deeply meditative experience particularly before a massage or after a yoga class.
The science behind floatation
The benefits of floatation are well established in mainstream science.
We recently conducted a thorough study (science researchers call it a literature review) of the scientific evidence for the health benefits of floatation, centred on mainstream, published, peer-reviewed research studies. The work conclusively demonstrates the significant benefits offered by floatation therapy in managing or alleviating conditions including anxiety and depression, insomnia, stress, pain (particularly stress-related muscular pain), hypertension and chronic tension headaches. It reduces blood pressure and levels of stress-related hormones and offers improved sleep (and improved ease in falling asleep) and heightened feelings of optimism, serenity, relaxation and wellbeing, with increased energy and performance.
If you’d like to read it, our study is here, as a PDF.
Enhancing your floatation
Floatation is a therapy and, like many other personal therapies, it is not a ‘quick fix’: its benefits build over time and as you become used to the experience. Initially, it can take a session or two to adjust as the mind and body learn how to ‘let go’. For the greatest benefit, we therefore recommend a course of regular floats, which can also lead to a deeper, cumulative effect that stays with you for much longer.
You may also experience a much deeper relaxation still if your float is followed by a massage or sauna, or comes after a yoga class. The combined effect is greater than the sum of its parts!
To help you, we offer float spa membership that reduces the cost of regular floats; membership also includes discounts on other spa services. And we offer Unity duos – float + massage and float + sauna – at money-saving package prices.
“Had my first ever floatation experience followed by an amazing deep tissue massage – simply heavenly – an afternoon of purely self love and healing thanks to the amazing team and therapists at the Unity Centre. Fantastic” Julia F (thank you, Julia)
Booking an open floatation
A 75 minute session in our beautiful floatation suite give you plenty of time, with a full 60 minutes in our open pool and 15 minutes to ground yourself, shower and change.
You can book a floatation session for one (with the suite to yourself) or for two together (perhaps you’re a couple, friends, relatives, parent and child over 12 or an individual with a carer), with plenty of room in the pool for both.
Float prices
›Float session for one: £55
›Float session for two: £70
For concessionary cardholders, your 10% discount will be automatically applied when you pay for your float.
Before your appointment
Before you come in for your appointment, it is essential that you read and take notice of our appointment guidelines. If you don’t follow the guidelines we may have to postpone or cancel your appointment. And please don’t forget to bring your own towel.
Floatation packages
Float+massage Duo
The height of luxurious relaxation and restorative bliss.
- A private session in our wonderful, open floatation pool (75 minute session)
followed by - a one hour massage, including consultation and ending with a lovely hot mint tea
Buy your float+massage package:
“The effects of the massage are so much deeper after the float has already relaxed your body and mind. An enlightening experience – a deep journey of unfolding that can stay with us for days and even weeks.”
Float+sauna Duo
A perfect pair!
- A private session in our wonderful, open floatation pool (75 minute session)
followed by - a private session, just for you, in our infrared sauna with chromatherapy (45 minute session)
Buy your Float+sauna Duo package:
After purchase, please pop in or call us on 01273 778400 to arrange the day and time of your experience.
Before your appointment
Before you come in for your appointment, it is essential that you read and take notice of our appointment guidelines. If you don’t follow the guidelines we may have to postpone or cancel your appointment. And please don’t forget to bring your own towel.
And if you wear a pacemaker, please check with your consultant before using an infrared sauna such as ours.
More spa experience packages
Fancy a massage, facial or sauna after your float? Floats can be part of a range of spa packages, including day and half-day experiences. that can provide a wonderfully deep and lasting experience, and save a little money. Our packages can be experienced on your own or most of them can be shared with a partner, relative or friend.
“A few of my colleagues have been raving about the benefits of ‘floating’, so I decided to have my first ever float session at The Unity Centre. The floatation pool is set inside a lovely building, and the actual float room has been fitted out very nicely. Before floating, I was fully briefed by the friendly staff what to do, so the actual float experience for me was first class. I left the float feeling very relaxed” Andrew C (thank you, Andrew)
“Incredibly attentive and thoughtful staff who made my floatation experience a really relaxing and memorable time. Love the Unity Centre!” Lulah E (thank you, Lulah)
Frequently asked questions
Epsom salts – what are they?
Epsom salts are also known as magnesium sulfate. It's a chemical compound made up of magnesium, sulfur and oxygen. When Epsom salts are dissolved in water, they release magnesium and sulfate ions. Health benefits include soothing muscle aches, and reducing inflammation. The water softens and replenishes your skin (without wrinkling it like sea salt does!), and helps to counteract magnesium deficiency that many people have due to depleted magnesium levels. We use 300kgs of Epsom salts with 26cm of warm water.How hygienic is it?
Nothing harmful can survive within the float pool due to the very high saline content of the water. In addition to this, the water in the float pool is automatically filtered.Do I need to wear anything?
Yes, you do! We recommend wearing swimwear.Is there a risk of drowning?
The high buoyancy of the water makes it impossible for you to sink beneath the surface of the water.
However, you must not use the pool if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs with a sedative effect.
Is it OK to go to sleep?
Yes ! Many find that it is so relaxing that they fall asleep (1 hours sleep in the float pool is like 2-3 hours sleep in a bed as there is no pressure on any part of your body).Will I feel claustrophobic?
No, this is an OPEN floatation pool.What can I expect from the experience?
It's a totally personal experience, it's the closest thing you can get to zero gravity, and as such people use the float pool for total relaxation. Not one of your muscles is being used whilst you are effortlessly floating, you lay on your back with your head partially submerged (ear plugs are worn), your face does not become submerged. If this is your first time you may take a few minutes to find your most comfortable position, some find that having arms by their sides, or out in a T shape or hands behind the neck, take a few moments to find yours! The water is heated to body temperature and the room is kept an an ambient temperature so you wont get cold. The total float time is one hour. Many people find longer term benefits by regularly floating.Can I float with a partner or carer?
Yes! Our float tank is big enough for two people to float comfortably at the same time. It's ideal to share with a partner or friend – or, for those of us who need an extra hand, you are welcome to come with a carer.
Please also see Is there a minimum age?
Can I wear contact lenses?
We recommend that you remove your contact lenses (be sure to bring a fresh pair for afterwards!) If you do get any of the salty water in your eyes we have a fresh water spray to use to spray onto your eyes.
What are the dos and don'ts? (Essential reading!)
- DON'T enter the floatation pool wearing any products capable of colouring or tainting the pool water*, such as
- makeup (it's best to arrive without wearing makeup, rather than planning to take it off thoroughly in the floatation suite)
- non-permanent or recent hair colouring or tints
- tanning products
- DON'T use the pool under the influence of alcohol or drugs with a sedative effect. This is for your safety.
- DON'T shave just before floating as cuts and scrapes can sting in the pool (by the way, if you do have any small cuts you can cover them with a small waterproof bandage or with some Vaseline to help prevent stinging)
- DO use the shower before entering the pool
- DO use the bathroom before getting in (you don't want to be distracted by a toilet break!)
- DON'T enter the floatation pool wearing any products capable of colouring or tainting the pool water*, such as
Is there a minimum age?
Yes. For health and safety reasons, children must be 12 or over to use the float pool (no under-12s) and those aged 12–16 must be accompanied by their legally responsible parent or guardian.How will I know when my float is ending?
You will hear a chime which signals the end of your floatation session, so you don't have to worry about how long or short a time you have been floating. Please be mindful as you move from laying down to sitting up and slowly standing, you have just had an hour of total relaxation and zero gravity so be kind to your body as you become more 'aware'.What is included in the float? What do I need to bring with me?
For your personal safety during the pandemic, we don't supply towels*, so please bring your own., as well as your swimwear, swimming cap (if you wish to use one) and any personal toiletries.
For those who wear makeup, we advise that you arrive without makeup on, as you will need to remove it thoroughly (please see Dos and don'ts). If you cannot avoid arriving in makeup, please remember to bring what you need to remove it completely.
We do have shampoo and body wash in non-touch infrared soap dispensers, and single-use disposable ear plugs, should you want to use them. We also have reusable ear plugs for sale in the Centre.
I'm disabled, can I use the Float Pool?
In many cases, yes. We ask that you please bring your carer with you if you are in need of one to assist you. Please consult with your doctor before booking a float to make sure you get the OK, and please call the Unity Spa Manager to make sure we understand any physical challenges that you are managing so that we can make sure we have all the correct safety measures taken care of for you.I'm pregnant, can I use the float pool?
We don't recommend floating until 12 weeks of gestation but, after that, yes you can. If you are heavily pregnant you will most likely benefit more than any one else! The discomfort of lying on a bed during the latter part of pregnancy is to the gravitational strain placed on the body: you can escape that strain by floating effortlessly.I'm menstruating, can I use the Float Pool?
Yes, please follow the same process you would for swimming.Can I float with epilepsy?
If you are living with epilepsy (or you have experiences of epilepsy) that is not under control by medication, we do not advise using the float pool on your own. We recommend that you should be accompanied (eg by a partner or friend). This is for your safety in the water.When should I arrive?
Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment so that we can explain everything thoroughly.