Sometimes 1 + 1 = free, where free = free from stress. Because when you combine two stand-alone proven therapies like floating before a massage, it’s a double winning formula for longer lasting performance and wellbeing.
Float tanks and massage therapy work well independently to relax, heal and rejuvenate.
Floating as an individual therapy is known to have many benefits. From reducing stress, heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension, to pain relief and healing, clarity of mind, harmony and creativity.
While massage therapy is a distinctly different type of therapy, it also has many proven benefits – like relieving and managing muscle pain, soft tissue injuries, and improving circulation, mobility and flexibility. Massage is also known to reduce stress and improve performance.
Even though the overall longer-term goals of floating and massage are body and mind performance and wellbeing, the ways to achieve these outcomes rely on noticeably different approaches.
Float tanks relieve and release tension by reducing sensory input through its quiet, zero-gravity, solitary, dense saltwater experience. Conversely, massage therapy uses sensory input where your therapist works deep on your muscles applying pressure with hands, fingers, elbows, forearm, or feet, using oils, creams or balms.
Because floating success relies on sensory reduction and massage therapy uses sensory input, combining both treatments serve to complement each other, substantially enhancing the overall outcome.
By floating first, you are preparing your body by releasing tension – almost wiping muscles and mind clean, like a blank slate – allowing your therapist to then begin his/her work immediately at the start of your massage.
And then there’s magnesium and its role in relaxing and soothing sore muscles. Float tanks are filled with magnesium, a lot. Each float tank contains 300 kg of magnesium sulphate (also known as Epsom salts) dissolved in just 30cm of water. It is this dense magnesium-rich solution that creates effortless buoyancy.
Besides making you float – like in the Dead Sea – your body immersed in a high-density Epsom salt water solution for an hour before a massage treatment works wonders in preparing your muscles.
By floating first your muscles become more relaxed. This means your massage therapist can work quicker and deeper on your more receptive muscles from the start of your massage session. Muscles aside, your skin also benefits from an hour’s float in a smooth and silky skin-temperature Epsom salt solution, becoming hydrated and moisturised rather than pruning. (It’s key though to rinse the excess salt off in a shower after your float).
Overall, after a float, you’re much more relaxed, making your body more receptive and ready for your massage.
So whether you choose to dip in and out of therapies, or prefer to make wellbeing treatment a regular way of life, floating first followed by a massage, is a highly effective and efficient long-lasting combination to rebalance body and mind.
Bondi Junction Massage & Float Centre is a restorative and remedial oasis of calm and wellbeing in the heart of Sydney’s eastern suburbs, treating thousands of clients since 1985. To find out more about our float + massage combo package make contact today, or book now.
Input your search keywords and press Enter.
