The Top Rated salon using floatation therapy to help you destress

We’re up for trying anything that helps us to shake off day-to-day woes, reset our senses and really get to work on more specific body pains. Turns out, floatation therapy is just the ticket. Shimmer salon is a Top Rated venue in Edinburgh, with the largest float pod on the market. Intrigued to know more? Of course you are. Alan Stevenson, salon owner and float expert, told us everything we need to know.

By Rachel Spedding

• 1 So, what is it?

  "Think of floatation therapy as like an escape from the outside world – ridding the mind of stress, consumerism, peer pressure and overstimulation of the nervous system. It’s the most natural way to switch off and relax at the deepest level." ​
• 2 How does it work?

  "The water within the pod is heated to skin temperature, allowing your body to melt into ‘R.E.S.T’ (restricted environmental stimulation therapy). You’ll float effortlessly within a sound and light restricted environment, where the water is saturated with ½ tonne of dissolved Epsom salts."
• 3 What are the benefits?

  "It’s a good treatment to try for targeting pain and trauma. Frequent sessions has a significant impact on mood enhancement too, due to the deep meditative state. Think increased levels of endorphins and dopamine (leaving you feeling soothed and all-round more calm)."
• 4 Is it popular?

  "Customers don’t often realise that such a unique ‘self-help’ service exists. We’re in our second year of offering the service now and continue to welcome new customers taking the pro-active, non-medication approve to relaxation. Our pregnant customers are frequent visitors, combing floatation with pregnancy massage. "
• 5 Can you listen to music?

  "The session typically starts with 10 minutes of deep relaxing brain-wave-pattern music, followed up with complete silence, and finishing with 5 minutes of gentle music to help the client come back from the meditative state."
• 6 How long does a session take?

  "We traditionally offer one hour pod time, though often our clients ask for a two hour session. With time for a pre and post float shower, a session takes around 90 minutes. We’d suggest 3 trips over five weeks to have real impact on the body and mind. The more you float, the better you feel."

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