Float therapy tanks use 1,000 pounds of salt to help users sleep

Float therapy relies on a tub filled with nearly a thousand pounds of magnesium dissolved in water.

The solution creates a density that prevents the body from sinking, allowing users to lie motionless for an hour or more. Operators in Portland, Oregon, report that this method helps clients manage anxiety, chronic pain, and sleep disorders.

Nia Linbravo referees women’s basketball games four to five nights per week. She also holds a job in project management and previously worked as a juvenile probation officer. Linbravo said her schedule created physical and mental demands that made it difficult to relax. A herniated disk and poor sleep led her to try the therapy.

Linbravo discussed the treatment with her doctor, who suggested it could be helpful. She reported that it has aided her in managing depression and anxiety. She described the sensation as a release, noting that the water supports her body and allows her to let go.

“I think it’s the weightlessness and the feeling of the water supporting me, and I’m literally just letting go,” Linbravo said. She added that the tank provides a space to reflect and calm the mind.

Dana Highfill operates Float North in Northeast Portland. Highfill has worked as a massage therapist for 17 years. She stated that most clients seek physical relief. She explained that the buoyancy feels like turning off gravity, which opens joints and helps reduce inflammation.

Highfill also addressed the mental health benefits. She said the environment reduces stimulation to the nervous system, helping users shift from a fight or flight state to a rest and repair state. To address concerns about confinement, she provided the dimensions of a standard tank. A single unit measures eight feet long and four feet wide with a seven-foot ceiling. The water depth is approximately 10 inches.