Sensory Deprivation Tank Singapore

“The word silent has the same letters as the word listen.” – Alfred Brendel

Being one that loves to try anything new, I jumped on the chance to deprive my body of all senses for 60mins when my friend Lyndsey asked me if I want to try floating in a Sensory Deprivation Tank.

So what exactly does the Sensory Deprivation Tank do?

The Sensory Deprivation Tank is part of this thing called floatation therapy. According to Palm Ave Float Club, “there are three key components to floatation – EPSOM SALT, SENSORY DEPRIVATION & GRAVITY REDUCTION – that work together to create the unparalleled results and benefits of floatation therapy.”

Photo credit: @lynsah

What happens is that you get into a tank filled with epsom salt water that’s heated to body temperature and float for between 60-90mins. The solution ensures that you remain buoyant and experience a gravity like feeling. Light and sound will be absent when you are in the tank to simulate sensory deprivation. Apparently the epsom salt solution is really good for your body and the minimised sensory input has lots of mental health benefits. This therapy has been around for over 40years so a quick google search will give you the exact scientifics. It is supposed to be highly useful for athletes wanting to improve their mental performances, and office workers who need a way to de-stress by disconnecting with the outside World.

So how was the experience like?

The entire experience is quite DIY and you can do things pretty much at your own pace. After a briefing on the dos and don’ts of the session, I had a quick shower before readying my mind for what was to come. Surprisingly, getting into a sci-fi looking sound proof pod naked was not as claustrophobic as I thought, and the process really eased any concerns away.

Closing the pod (I mean tank) actually felt kind of liberating, as though you’ve decided to shut the World out for the next hour. There is soft music playing and you can just chill for awhile, getting used to the space and finding your most relaxing floating position. It’s also comforting to know that there are two huge buttons on each side, a blue one for switching the light off when you are ready, and a red one to call for help.

A word of warning though, I had a small cut on my thigh and the salt solution stung the hell out of me for 5mins before I got used to it. So it might not be a good idea to float if you have open wounds. Even small ones.

Being eager to maximise my experience, I hastily turned off the lights and tried to relax before the music faded off in about 10mins. The first few moments were kind of weird as I wondered what to do now that I’m devoid of light and sound. I tried really hard to be still and focussed on my breathing. But Bruce Lee’s famous words kept popping into my head, “empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water… be water my friend.” After what seemed like forever, I fell into a fairly relaxed state and was about to fall asleep when my body grazed the side of the pod (I mean tank) and jolted me awake.

Restart. Thankfully the second time was much easier despite the still air and I managed to get into the zone fairly quickly. My body felt fully relaxed as though it was suspended in midair, but this time my mind was fully awake. Random thoughts started floating around and before long, I was thinking about all the important things surrounding my life right now. There was no real conclusion nor clarity, but finally the music turned on again, which was a signal that the session is almost over.

I opened the pod (I mean tank) and was greeted by the cold air, took a hot shower, got dressed, and exited the room. Strangely I wasn’t thinking of much and despite my phone having 8 missed calls (for being late), I was very calm and even a little floaty.

Will I do it again?

At $70/$85 for a 60/90min session, probably not often. I was hoping for a more out of body experience, but I guess that will probably come with more sessions and better meditation. It should be pretty interesting for those accustomed to meditation already.
But I will definitely go back if I want to shut myself away from the World or need a sensory deprivation tank to focus on a problem. Or maybe when I’m feeling hipster.

In case you’re interested, the Palm Ave Float Club is located at 20 Waringin Park, Singapore 416333. Remember to make a booking! I’m not affiliated to them nor is this a paid advertorial btw. Just sharing something I thought is unique. :)