Float tanks and sensory deprivation: your first session, who should not float and the evidence
Floating in skin-temperature Epsom salt water: what a first float is like, who health bodies say should skip it, how clean the water is, and what the trials did and did not find.
Short answer: A float is usually 60 minutes alone in a dark, quiet tank of skin-temperature water about 10 to 12 inches deep, holding 800 pounds or more of Epsom salt. Small trials found anxiety and stress fall right after a float, but the one placebo-controlled pain trial we found showed no benefit over the placebo at one week, and sleep results are mixed. Do not float after alcohol or drugs, and check with a clinician first if you take a sedating medicine, have seizures, kidney disease, low blood pressure, a heart condition, a history of hallucinations or a skin infection, or you are pregnant.
If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 in the US now, and call 911 if you are in immediate danger. A float tank is not a crisis treatment, and the anxiety trials below excluded people with active suicidality.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical or mental-health condition, your own care team’s advice comes first.
We did not visit or test any center or tank, and nothing here can be booked through us. Everything comes from the health bodies, trials and centers named, read between Oct. 25 and Nov. 3, 2026.
Who should not float: health bodies and float centers compared
We found no US-wide list of who should not float. The fullest official list we could read is from Western Australia’s health department, and Cleveland Clinic, Washington State and British Columbia add to it.
We also read the FAQ or service pages of 19 US float centers in our directory on Nov. 3, 2026. They are not a random sample, and a center that prints no rule may still ask on its intake form.
| Condition or situation | What health bodies and clinicians say | Centers that print it (of 19) |
|---|---|---|
| Seizures or epilepsy | Western Australia and Cleveland Clinic: not recommended. British Columbia: not allowed. Washington State: consult your physician | 10: 5 refuse or advise against, 4 only if uncontrolled, 1 says consult your physician |
| Kidney disease | Western Australia: not recommended | 2 |
| Low blood pressure | Western Australia: not recommended | 1 |
| Heart or circulatory problems | Washington State: consult your physician. Western Australia: check with a health practitioner | 1 |
| Open wounds or skin ulcers | Western Australia and Cleveland Clinic: not recommended | 7 |
| Severe skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema | Western Australia: check with a health practitioner. Cleveland Clinic: skin conditions not recommended | Counted in the row above when named |
| Contagious illness, or vomiting or diarrhea in the last two weeks | Western Australia: not recommended for 14 days. Washington State: prohibited for two weeks. Cleveland Clinic: infectious disease not recommended | 6 |
| Alcohol or drugs | Western Australia, Washington State and British Columbia: not permitted | 10 |
| Sedating medicines | Western Australia: they increase the risk of drowning | 1 |
| Hallucinations, psychosis or serious mental illness | Cleveland Clinic: not recommended with a history of hallucinations. Western Australia: check first with psychosis | 4 |
| Claustrophobia | Western Australia and Cleveland Clinic: advise against | 0 as a reason to stay out |
| Pregnancy | Western Australia: check with a health practitioner | 17, with very different conditions |
| Asthma | Western Australia: check first. British Columbia lists it among reasons to keep clients out | 0 |
| Incontinence | Not on these official lists. One pain trial excluded it | 3 |
| Under 16 | Western Australia: not suitable | Rules differ: Easy Float says 18 and older, others take minors with a parent |
The gap between the columns is the useful part. Only 2 of the 19 print kidney disease and only 1 prints low blood pressure or sedating medicines, so do not wait for a center to ask.
Tell the center, and ask your clinician before you book. Western Australia also says to check first if you are sensitive to chlorine, bromine, sulfate or magnesium.
Seizures and epilepsy in a float tank
The worry here is drowning, not the salt. CDC says people with seizure disorders are at higher risk of fatal and nonfatal drowning, with the bathtub the most common site. A 2008 meta-analysis counted 88 drowning deaths in people with epilepsy against 4.70 expected.
A float is a shallow bath in a closed, dark room. Float Seattle says it is hard to turn over even on purpose, but that describes a relaxed body. We found no study of a seizure in a float tank, and the trials below excluded people with epilepsy.
The sources split on how firm to be. Western Australia, Cleveland Clinic and British Columbia say no, while Washington State says to consult your physician. An older version of the industry standard, hosted by Montana’s health department, says to screen for “Epilepsy that is not under medical control”, and 4 of our 19 centers use that kind of limit.
So talk to your neurologist before you book if you have any seizure condition, even a well-controlled one. The NHS tells people with epilepsy to have showers instead of baths if they can. Our guide to wellness with epilepsy covers water and what to ask a center.
Fainting, low blood pressure and getting out of the tank
Floating lowers blood pressure while you are in it. In 31 people with high anxiety sensitivity, diastolic pressure fell by more than 12 mm Hg on average at its lowest point. A later study saw systolic and diastolic pressure fall in anxious and non-anxious people alike.
Then you stand up. Cleveland Clinic describes orthostatic hypotension as a sudden drop in blood pressure when you stand after sitting or lying down, which can make you dizzy or faint. We found no study that measured fainting or standing blood pressure after a float, and none of the 19 center pages we read mentions dizziness or fainting.
The exit is awkward too. Float Atlanta says “everything happens at ground level”, British Columbia warns that the solution is slippery, and the industry’s own standard says the most significant risk during a float session is a slip and fall.
Standing up slowly is not the whole answer to a fainting history. Western Australia lists low blood pressure among conditions where floating is not recommended, and Float Atlanta says it is not advised, so if you faint easily or run low, ask your clinician before you book.
What to do if you feel faint after a float
Sit up first and wait, hold on as you climb out, and move slowly into a standing position. If you feel faint, the NHS says to lie down with your legs raised.
MedlinePlus says to call 911 if someone who fainted does not become alert within a couple of minutes, is pregnant, is over age 50, has diabetes, or has chest pain or a pounding or irregular heartbeat. Our guide to POTS and dysautonomia covers the same exit for that condition.
Kidney disease and magnesium in the float water
Western Australia lists kidney disease among conditions where floating is not recommended, and Float Seattle gives the reason as magnesium absorption. Cleveland Clinic explains the worry: kidney failure is the most common cause of high blood magnesium, and severe cases can be fatal.
Nobody has shown that a float does this. We found no study that measured blood magnesium after a float, in anyone, and intact skin looks like a strong barrier. A 2026 lab study on pig skin found minimal passage through intact skin, but a marked increase once the outer layer was stripped away.
So kidney disease plus broken skin deserves extra care. A 2023 pilot in 20 people with advanced kidney disease found no significant change in blood magnesium from a magnesium chloride spray, but a spray on the limbs is not an hour of immersion.
If you have kidney disease, ask your kidney doctor first, and do not swallow the water. Cleveland Clinic names over-the-counter products with a lot of magnesium, like Epsom salts, among the causes of high blood magnesium.
Alcohol, sedatives and whether you can drown in a float tank
Western Australia’s answer is the one to use: “While drowning in a floatation tank is possible, it is extremely unlikely.” Its next point is that drugs, alcohol and medications with a sedative effect increase the risk.
Centers put it more flatly. Float Nashville says it is “virtually impossible to drown”, and Float8 answers “Absolutely not.” Those are center FAQ answers, not safety findings, and neither answer mentions seizures or sedatives.
The one death we found in the medical literature happened at home. A 2010 forensic report describes a 50-year-old woman in her own tank with ethanol at 0.27% and sedating medicines in her blood, ruled acute mixed drug and ethanol toxicity with probable environmental hyperthermia. It calls such deaths very rare.
Western Australia, Washington State and British Columbia all bar alcohol and drugs. One anxiety trial excluded daily benzodiazepine use and had people abstain from as-needed benzodiazepines or opioids for 24 hours before each float.
If you take a sedating prescription, ask your prescriber and tell the center. Our guide to wellness on sedating medication covers why.
Claustrophobia, panic and getting out mid-float
Western Australia lists claustrophobia among conditions where floating is not recommended, and Cleveland Clinic’s doctor calls it “not the best idea”. Several centers say even people with extreme claustrophobia report no problems, which is their own claim, and we found no study behind it.
In one pain trial, 13 participants asked to float with the lid open. In a study of 50 first-time floaters, 22% said they were ready to get out before the hour had elapsed.
If you want to try, ask for an open pool or a large cabin, and float with the light on and the door cracked. Float On and Infinity Float Center say their tank doors have no latches, but Float Atlanta says your room door will be locked, so ask how it opens.
Western Australia says all units there have an internal call alarm and light, and Washington State requires a trained operator on site during all hours of operation. Ask what the center has, and how you reach someone from inside the tank.
If panic starts, sit up, turn on the light, open the door and get out. Our guide to anxiety and claustrophobia in wellness spaces covers what to tell a venue.
Hallucinations, psychosis and unusual experiences
Some people see things in the dark. In the 50-person study, reports were a low base rate event, mostly colors and shapes, such as “little flashes of light like starbursts”.
Recent work describes an altered state: 34 people reported weaker body boundaries and time distortion compared with resting on a waterbed. A 2026 analysis found profiles that overlap with those reported for psilocybin and ketamine on boundary dissolution.
The people in those reports mostly described it in positive terms, but it is a real caution for others. Cleveland Clinic says tanks are not recommended if you have a history of experiencing hallucinations, Western Australia says to check first if psychosis is a concern, and the anxiety trials excluded schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
If you have ever had hallucinations or psychosis, ask your clinician before you book. Float Seattle says to check with your provider first for any severe mental health condition.
Floating while pregnant
We found no study of float tanks in pregnancy, and two of the trials below excluded pregnant people. The industry’s own standard says the safety of floating while pregnant “has not been reviewed by medical providers”, and Western Australia says to check with a health practitioner.
Of our 19 centers, 17 print a pregnancy rule, and they differ widely. Eight ask you to check with your doctor first, 4 ask only if you are concerned or, at Float On, in the third trimester, and 3 print a welcome with no condition.
Four rule out the first trimester or a high-risk pregnancy: My Place Float Therapy, Isolate Float Center, Infinity Float Center and Float Nashville. City Cave says up to 36 weeks with your doctor’s approval.
Lines such as “Pregnant women love to float” are a center’s enthusiasm, not evidence. Tell the center you are pregnant and ask your provider before you book. Our guide to sauna, cold plunge and massage in pregnancy covers the rest.
Skin, cuts, shaving and salt in your eyes
Western Australia says not to float immediately after shaving or if you are sunburnt, because the salt may cause discomfort. Centers set their own gaps, from 12 hours at City Cave to 24 hours at Isolate Float Center.
A nick and an open wound are different things. The industry standard warns against large open wounds or rashes and suggests petroleum jelly on small ones. Skin infections are a reason to stay out, and our guide to eczema and psoriasis covers flares.
Salt in the eyes stings and is the usual complaint. A trial report lists discomfort from saltwater in the eyes or open wounds, and in one study the most prominent side effects were mild itchiness and dry mouth.
To avoid it, take out contact lenses, dry your face and hairline after the first shower, and do not touch your face with wet hands. Float Seattle, Samana Float Center and IMR Float say each tank or room has fresh water to spray: sit up, spray, wipe.
- Sensitive areas: Float Seattle says the salt can irritate them and offers petroleum jelly.
- Tattoos: Float On says to wait 4 to 6 weeks, Float Seattle says 2 to 4 weeks until fully healed.
- Hair dye: the industry standard sees no physical risk but warns of stains, and Infinity Float Center mentions a clean-up fee of up to $2000.
- Periods: rules differ. Float On says yes, as for a swimming pool, while City Cave asks you to reschedule.
Vomiting, diarrhea and contagious illness
Stay home. Washington State says centers must prohibit anyone with a communicable disease and anyone who has been ill with vomiting or diarrhea within the last two weeks, and Western Australia says the same for 14 days.
That rule protects the next floater. Western Australia says the water is not changed between patrons, so there is a potential for microorganisms to transfer from one to the next. Float On and Float Seattle print similar rules, and Float Seattle says it will reschedule with no fee.
How clean is a float tank?
The water is not changed between floaters. Washington State says tanks are seldom drained and refilled because of the cost of the salt, so it is filtered and treated between people instead.
The salt helps but does not sterilize. Western Australia says high salt reduces the risk from most bacteria and amoeba, while viruses and some salt-tolerant bacteria may not be killed. British Columbia says “Bacteria can survive and grow in floatation tank water”.
A test cited in the industry standard saw Pseudomonas aeruginosa fall to undetectable levels after 24 hours in Epsom solution, while Enterococcus faecium did not fall significantly. That standard itself says salt and filtration alone are not enough, since 24 hours is longer than the gap between floats.
So treat claims such as “no living microorganism can survive” (Float Nashville and FLO2S) or “completely sterile” (Isolate Float Center) as going beyond what regulators say.
Have float tanks caused infections?
Infections have been recorded, rarely. A 2023 survey paper found one published Pseudomonas case and one outbreak, and concluded that tanks pose lower risk than pools but still some. The outbreak, in Norway in 2017, made 22 of 45 bathers ill at an art exhibition tank holding about 20% salt.
The industry standard now counts three outbreaks, all linked to salt below its range. Clear water proves little, because you cannot see germs. Washington State relies on lab samples, monthly for a center’s first six months, and IMR Float says it sends its solution to a lab weekly, which is its own claim.
Who regulates float tanks, and why the rules conflict
We found no single US float tank rule, and the rule books disagree on what belongs in the water.
| Source | Water treatment it accepts | What it rejects | Filtering between floaters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State (2017 guidance) | UV, ozone or advanced oxidation devices | Chemical disinfectants, including chlorine, bromine and hydrogen peroxide | Four turnovers |
| British Columbia (2016) | Chlorine or bromine, with UV or ozone as a supplement | Hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant | Three turnovers |
| Western Australia (2017) | Chlorine or bromine, with UV only alongside them | Hydrogen peroxide and ozone | Four turnovers |
| Float Tank Association standard (2025, an industry body) | UV, ozone or both, with hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer | Does not recommend chlorine or bromine | At least three, four encouraged |
Washington’s position rests on what the EPA told it: no chemical disinfectant was registered for these systems. It makes centers tell users in writing: “It is not certain whether the TREATMENT METHOD is or is not effective.” That guidance dates from 2017, so ask whether anything has changed.
Of our 19 centers, 13 name hydrogen peroxide, and a survey of 45 US operators found a spectrum of practices. Florida regulates Epsom salt tanks as pools, and CDC’s model code covers float tanks, according to Canada’s environmental health centre. We could not read CDC’s own text.
Questions to ask a float center before you book
- Does your intake form ask about seizures, kidney disease, heart problems, low blood pressure and pregnancy?
- Who is on site during my float, and how do I call them from inside the tank?
- What treats the water between floats, and how many turnovers does it get?
- When was the water last sent to a lab, and what did it test for?
- Do you log specific gravity daily? The industry standard sets a range of 1.23 to 1.30.
- Can I float with the door open and the light on, or book an open pool?
- How do you signal the end of a session? If you are deaf or hard of hearing, our guide covers what to ask.
- What will you charge if my hair dye marks the tank?
Be wary of big health promises. Float Nashville says one hour in the tank is roughly equivalent to 4 hours of sleep in your bed, and City Cave says 4-8 hours. We found no study supporting either.
What a float tank is
A float tank, also called a sensory deprivation tank, isolation tank or REST tank, is a dark, quiet enclosure holding shallow salt water. REST stands for restricted or reduced environmental stimulation therapy.
Washington State describes about 150 to 200 gallons of water with about 800 pounds of Epsom salt, typically a foot deep or a little less, with a specific gravity of about 1.25. Centers often print more salt: Float Seattle a little over 1,000 pounds, Float8 1,000 to 1,500 pounds.
The industry standard says 10 to 12 inches deep and 92 to 96 degrees. Float Seattle prints 94, True REST 93.5 and Easy Float 94 to 95, so the water sits near skin temperature.
Styles vary. Float Seattle lists Orb, Pod, Cabin and Traditional tanks, IMR Float has a pool with no doors or walls, and Float North has an open pool. You are not strapped in, and Washington State says only one person enters at a time.
Your first float tank session: what to expect
- Paperwork and a briefing. The industry standard calls for a clear orientation for first-time users, including how to get in and out, work the lights and find the door in the dark.
- Get ready. Take out contacts, put in earplugs while your ears are dry, shower, dry your face and dab petroleum jelly on any small cuts.
- Get in. You step in, sit down and lie back. Most people float nude in a private room, though Easy Float says a swimsuit is fine.
- Settle. Expect to feel restless at first. Float North plays music for the first 10 minutes to ease you in, and Float Seattle suggests coming back to your breath.
- The float. Usually 60 minutes, with the light and door up to you.
- The end. Music or lights come back on. Float Seattle says gentle music builds to wake even deep sleepers.
- Get out slowly. Sit up first, then climb out with care and shower again. The industry standard warns you would otherwise be covered in crystallized salt.
We found no study that timed how long the restless part lasts. In the 50-person study, 96% stayed for the whole hour, though 22% were ready to get out before it ended.
Trial ratings were mostly positive but not all good: one six-session trial logged 79 moderately negative and 11 extremely negative experience ratings across its float and chair groups, with no serious adverse events.
Western Australia warns that first-time users may experience nausea, and a heightened sense of smell, sound and light afterward. Float Seattle suggests leaving breathing room before and after, so do not plan to rush anywhere.
Practical tips before your first float
- Food: centers suggest a light meal, 60 to 90 minutes before at IMR Float and about 90 minutes at Float Seattle. Our reflux guide explains why an empty stomach suits you better if you have reflux.
- Caffeine: Float Nashville and Easy Float suggest none for about 4 hours.
- Shaving and waxing: skip them that day.
- Hair products and lotion: wash them off, since British Columbia says they affect water quality.
- Expectations: Float Seattle suggests treating restless moments as a cue to come back to your breath.
- A shorter start: we found no study of floating in people with ADHD, and our guide to wellness with ADHD explains why a short first float is the test.
If a full float feels like a lot, a sound bath is a gentler way into quiet, and our float tank vs sound bath guide compares them.
Anxiety and stress: what the float trials found
One study put 50 first-time floaters with anxiety and stress-related disorders in a tank for 1 hour. State anxiety fell by a large amount right afterward, but it had no control group, and the authors said it needs replicating in larger controlled trials.
Controlled work points the same way, in small groups. Thirty-one people reported less anxiety after a float than after a comparison session, and 46 people with self-diagnosed generalized anxiety improved over 12 floats compared with a wait list, in a non-blinded trial.
How long it lasts is less clear. One study tracked lower anxiety for 48 hours, in a sample that included a chair comparison group. The wait-list trial reported gains at six months, except for depression.
These people were screened hard. A six-session safety trial randomized 75 of 1,715 people screened, was built to test feasibility and safety, and called for larger trials of clinical efficacy.
Much of this work comes from one group in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and one lead author also heads a nonprofit float research collective. A 2026 BMJ review lists floating among new and emerging treatments.
The 46-person trial’s authors describe it as a complementary treatment alongside existing care. Do not drop treatment or medication for it.
Chronic pain: the trial with a placebo float
Early trials looked good. Thirty-seven people with neck and back muscle pain had 9 floats or none, and their most severe pain fell, though low-level pain did not. A 2005 study of 32 patients with stress-related muscle pain also reported less pain, with no group that went without floating.
A 2026 scoping review counted 8 studies and 401 participants, called floating promising, and said high-quality trials are needed.
Then a German trial tested it against an indistinguishable placebo delivered in the same tank, in 99 people with chronic pain. It found no differences among the groups one week after 5 sessions, and no long-term benefit.
Pain did fall right after each session, but similar changes appeared with the placebo. The authors say the improvements may not be caused by sensory restriction or effortless floating.
So a float may leave you feeling better for a while, and the 2026 review says the trial raises questions about placebo effects, expectancy and non-specific relaxation. It is not a proven pain treatment, and our guide to fibromyalgia and chronic pain covers other options.
Sleep after a float: mixed results
Some small trials found better sleep. In 65 healthy workplace volunteers, self-rated sleep quality rose over 12 floats compared with a wait list, and in the neck and back pain trial, floaters fell asleep more easily.
Others did not. A 2025 systematic review of 63 studies found limited to no effect on sleep-related disorders, and six people with insomnia gave mixed results over 12 floats, with no change in total sleep time.
The study closest to the question of better sleep on the night of a float used a wearable ring on 97 college athletes. Sleep metrics showed no specific change after a float, though resting heart rate was lower.
Cleveland Clinic says floating might help you sleep. That is a fair way to put it.
Blood pressure and cortisol during a float
Blood pressure falls during a float and may fall over a series of them. One controlled study of 45-minute floats in normal subjects found greater reductions than in the comparison group.
Cortisol is shakier than float marketing suggests. A small controlled study of five people found no hormone changes attributable to floating. A 1989 study of 21 students saw cortisol fall over 8 floats, but it compared light with dark, with no group that did not float.
True REST says cortisol drops 25-30%, without naming a study on the page we read. An older hypertension study is cited in the literature, but we could not read it. A float is not a blood pressure treatment, so if you take blood pressure medicine, ask your clinician first.
Athletes and muscle recovery
The evidence is small and split. Eleven trained men reported less soreness after a 1-hour float than after a control session, while 24 untrained men showed no difference in soreness or strength, though blood lactate and perceived pain were lower.
In 20 highly trained people, a nap did better than a float on one recovery measure, while the float felt better. In the college athlete study, 85.3% said they felt better afterward, with no comparison group.
None of these separates the salt from the rest and the quiet. Floating may feel good after hard training, but we found no evidence that it beats a nap or a rest for recovery.
Epsom salt and magnesium: does it reach your blood?
The salt’s known job is to make you float. Whether magnesium gets into you is the question centers skip: Isolate Float Center says the setup lets your body absorb a large amount of magnesium, and Float8 says it can support a mineral your body is likely craving in pregnancy.
A 2017 review calls the promotion of transdermal magnesium scientifically unsupported. The 2026 pig skin study concluded that delivery through normal skin from a simple water solution is unlikely.
We found no study that measured blood magnesium after a float, so the question stays open. If you suspect you are low, that is a conversation with a doctor, and our piece on whether an Epsom salt bath does anything covers the home version.
PTSD, depression, fibromyalgia and detox claims
We found no trial of floating dedicated to PTSD or fibromyalgia. People with PTSD were part of the mixed 50-person anxiety study, and a 2025 review lists fibromyalgia in case studies only.
Depression scores fell in some of the anxiety trials, but in the 46-person trial that gain did not hold at six months. No study we read shows floating treats depression.
We found no trial supporting detox or cellular reset claims.
What each float study tested
| Study | Who was studied | Design | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feinstein 2018, PLOS One | 50 first-time floaters with anxiety and stress-related disorders, most also with depression | One 1-hour float, no control group | Large short-term drop in anxiety |
| Feinstein 2018, Biological Psychiatry | 31 people with high anxiety sensitivity | 90-minute float against a comparison session, crossover | Less anxiety and muscle tension; blood pressure fell |
| Flux 2022 | 37 clinically anxious and 20 non-anxious people | 90-minute float against a nature film, crossover | Blood pressure and breathing rate fell in both groups |
| Garland 2024 | 75 people with anxiety and depression, from 1,715 screened | Six floats or six sessions in a chair | Feasible, no serious adverse events; not an efficacy test |
| Jonsson 2016 | 46 people with self-diagnosed generalized anxiety | 12 floats against a wait list, not blinded | Symptoms fell; 37% in full remission afterward |
| Kjellgren 2014 | 65 healthy workplace volunteers | 12 floats against a wait list | Less stress, anxiety and worst pain; better self-rated sleep |
| Loose 2021 | 99 people with chronic pain | 5 floats against a placebo in the same tank and a wait list | No difference at one week; no long-term benefit |
| Kjellgren 2001 | 37 people with neck and back muscle pain | 9 floats against a control group | Most severe pain fell; low-level pain did not |
| Caldwell 2022 | 11 trained men after heavy squats | 1-hour float against a control session, crossover | Less soreness and fatigue |
| Morgan 2013 | 24 untrained men after hard leg exercise | 1-hour float against sitting, crossover | Lower lactate and perceived pain; no change in soreness or strength |
| Besson 2024 | 20 highly trained people | 1-hour float against a nap | Nap did better on heart rate variability; float felt better |
| Vatne 2025 | 97 college athletes tracked overnight | Observational | Lower resting heart rate; no specific change in sleep metrics |
| Norell-Clarke 2022 | 6 people with insomnia | 12 floats, no control group | Mixed; 3 improved on their main symptom |
| Schulz 1994 | 5 normal subjects | 1-hour float against lying on a bed | No hormone changes attributable to floating |
What a float costs
In our October price index, a single float cost a median of $89 at 19 float centers, from $55 to $128, mostly for 60 minutes. A few sell 80 or 90 minutes as their standard (every center and price).
These are prices as centers listed them on their own sites on Nov. 3, 2026, per float:
- True REST: $89 at every location, a one-time intro rate of $45 to $65 depending on the location, and memberships that start at $65 at most locations.
- Float Seattle: $89 for 60 minutes, with a code for $20 off for new guests.
- Float On, Portland: $99 for 90 minutes, or $64 with a monthly membership.
- Float North, Portland: $94 for 60 minutes, or a monthly plan at $74 for one float.
- Reboot Spa, San Francisco: $99 for a single session, $75 for an intro float.
- Float Horizen, Nashville: $79 for 60 minutes.
- Stardust Float Spa, San Diego: $75 an hour, $95 for 90 minutes.
- SpaceTime, Chicago: $128 for a single session.
Check the fine print on hair dye: Easy Float mentions a $500 cleaning fee. We did not price home tanks here, and our guide to whether a home float tank is worth it covers cost and upkeep.
Float tanks at a glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Usual session | 60 minutes; a few centers sell 80 or 90 minutes as standard |
| Water | About 10 to 12 inches, 92 to 96 degrees |
| Salt | 800 pounds or more of Epsom salt |
| Best supported | Short-term drop in anxiety and stress, in small studies |
| Weak or mixed | Chronic pain against a placebo, sleep, muscle recovery |
| No trial found | Detox, cellular reset, and dedicated PTSD or fibromyalgia trials |
| Stay out | Alcohol, drugs, contagious illness, vomiting or diarrhea in the last two weeks, open wounds |
| Ask a clinician first | Seizures, kidney disease, low blood pressure, fainting, heart problems, sedating medicines, psychosis or hallucinations, pregnancy, asthma |
| Biggest stated risk | A slip and fall, according to the industry standard |
| Hygiene question to ask | When was the water last sent to a lab? |
FAQ: float tanks and your first float
Can you drown in a float tank?
Western Australia’s health department says it is possible but extremely unlikely, and that drugs, alcohol and sedative medicines raise the risk. A seizure is a different matter: talk to your neurologist first.
Is a float tank really dark and silent?
It can be, if you switch off the light and use earplugs, which centers usually provide. You can also keep the light on and the door open, and the industry standard says centers should tell you so.
Can I float if I have low blood pressure or have fainted before?
Western Australia says floating is not recommended with low blood pressure, and blood pressure falls during a float. Ask your clinician first, sit up before you stand, and lie down with your legs raised if you feel faint.
What do you wear in a float tank?
Most centers suggest nothing, in a private room. Easy Float says a swimsuit is welcome, while Float8 says suits can carry detergent and chlorine into the water.
How long until I feel something?
Some first-time floaters reported less anxiety after one session in a study. Centers selling three-float packs say it takes two or three, and we found no trial that compared first and later floats directly.
How often should you float?
We found no trial that set a best schedule. Repeat-float trials used 5 to 12 sessions, and advice on how often to float comes from centers that sell floats.
What if I get salt in my eyes?
It stings. Float Seattle says it is not harmful, and to sit up, spray fresh water from the bottle in the tank and wipe with a washcloth. If irritation does not settle, get out and rinse.
Are float tanks safe for children and teens?
Western Australia says they are not suitable for people under 16. US centers vary: Easy Float says 18 and older, Float Atlanta needs a parent’s approval up to 18, and FLO2S requires a parent or guardian with children under 16.
The bottom line on float tanks
A float is an hour of rest in skin-temperature salt water, and most people in the studies felt calmer right afterward. The evidence for that short-term effect is real but small, and the claims beyond it, on pain, sleep, recovery and magnesium, are weak or mixed.
The official caution lists are longer than most center websites. If you have a health condition, or you take a sedating medicine, ask your clinician before you book, and tell the center.
Related reading on float tanks
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