2017/08/13

Just float in a capsule! A truly restful and refreshing experience in a weightless, sensory space.

Raising children, work, housework, socializing - we are always being chased by something in our lives.
"I'm constantly stressed and my mind and body never have a moment to rest."
"I just want to be alone in a quiet place for a short while."
"I want to clear my mind and not think about anything."
For such people, we recommend Floax.

Floax is called an "isolation tank" or "floating tank" in the West and Japan, and is a relaxation therapy in which you float in warm water for 45 to 90 minutes in a pod-shaped tank. The pod is filled with warm water in which 550 kilograms of Epsom salt has been dissolved, and the salt concentration is much higher than that of the Dead Sea, so that even people who can't swim will naturally float. When the lid is closed, you are completely cut off from the outside world, and when the lights are turned off, it becomes pitch black, so you can't even tell if your eyes are open or closed. Relaxing music is played in the tank for the first 10 minutes or so, but then the tank becomes silent. The temperature and warm water in the tank are kept at 35 degrees Celsius, almost the same as human skin, so you are in a state of numbness. It is said that by placing yourself in such an environment that is impossible in everyday life, you can experience the ultimate relaxation.

The human brain is constantly calculating gravity to support the body. However, because the tank is in a state of zero gravity, both the body and consciousness are released from gravity all at once. Furthermore, sound and vision are blocked, the surrounding world disappears completely, and brain waves change from beta waves (a state of nervous tension) to theta waves. Theta waves are a wavelength that is emitted when you are awake and dozing just before falling asleep, and can also be produced by Zen or meditation.

It is said that floating in this Theta state in the pod for an hour has the same effect as sleeping for seven to eight hours, and relieves symptoms such as stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and insomnia. In the pod, the mind and body feel truly at peace, healed, and the body regains energy.

LEI editorial team experience
I had a 60-minute Floax experience. However, I'm always thinking about something, so I can't stay still, and I can't relax even if I float in the tank. After about 10 minutes, the music stops and the tank is enveloped in silence. My body should be free in the darkness, but I start to feel strangely stressed in the weightless state. Moreover, the distracting thoughts in my head don't go away. "60 minutes without doing anything, that's long." I turn on the LED light in the tank to start over. Light therapy is also available in the tank, and the color of the tank slowly changes from green to yellow, orange, and red. It feels like I'm slowly going in and out of the forest, the ocean, the sunrise, and the sunset. Suddenly I notice that the gentle music has started to play to indicate the end of the 60 minutes. It's a strange feeling, like I was asleep even though I wasn't asleep, and the 60 minutes that seemed so long passed in the blink of an eye. It seems that I was in a state of awakening without realizing it. My body and mind were refreshed and I was full of energy.

"Everyone who has experienced Floax says that their body and mind have become lighter! They say that they have experienced an indescribable sensation for the first time and that it made them wonder what the stress they had been feeling was all about. They leave with a refreshed look on their face. Just an hour away from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong is amazingly refreshing for both body and mind. I would recommend this experience to anyone who is feeling tired," say owners Francis and Daphne. They also sometimes sneak into the capsule when there are no customers to refresh themselves.

Floax
 1/F, Wing Hing Mansion,No.16 Granville Circuit,Tsim Sha Tsui
  2321 9624 or 9546 5353
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday & Public Holidays 11:30AM – 10:00PM
　http://www.floax.com.hk/
From $488 per session

In the September issue of Hong Kong Ray, we will be giving away a Floax experience to our readers, so be sure to check it out!