What are the opening hours?

Monday 5:30pm - 1:30am Tuesday 8am - 1:30am Wednesday 8am - 1:30am Thursday 8am - 1:30am Friday 8am - 5am Saturday 8am - 1:30am Sunday 8am - 1:30am

Float On

Being in a float tank is like relaxing in outer space. WHAT IS FLOATING? History of Floating

So where did these crazy tanks come from? Did we invent them? Yes.
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Well, no. What actually happened is that in 1954 a neuroscientist named John C. Lilly needed to eliminate incoming sensory information to create a control group for his experiments. He ended up discovering that sensory deprivation has a load of benefits that far superseded whatever wild experiments he was doing. By the 1970’s, the tank’s design had evolved from Lilly’s original laboratory chambers to the comfortable commercial tanks that we have now. This means you’re not submerged in the water with air tubes, you don’t have to wear a diver’s helmet with a black faceplate, and you don’t have to have experiments run on you. Benefits of Floating

Getting rid of all sensory input allows the ‘constantly-make-sure-you’re-not-dying’ part of your brain to chill out for a second, allowing the creative, relaxed part of your brain to come out and play. Without the constant pressure of analyzing the world around you, your body lowers its levels of cortisol, the main chemical component of stress. Your brain also releases elevated levels of dopamine and endorphins, the neurotransmitters of happiness. Not having to fight gravity lets your muscles, joints, and bones take a well-deserved break. Your body suddenly has loads of extra resources (usually spent supporting your weight, regulating temperature, and trying not to get speeding tickets), which it gets to focus on things like healing and resting. Without old-man gravity pushing you down all the time, your spine lengthens an inch, chronic pain is relieved, and your muscles get to fully rest. Unlike lying on a mattress, lying in water allows blood to flow freely all throughout your body. There’s no need to readjust your position to get comfortable. About 40 minutes into your float your brain stops producing its normal Alpha waves and starts churning out Theta waves. These are responsible for that ‘between-waking-and-sleeping’ state, and you make them naturally every night before you conk out. While it only lasts for a few sparse moments in your bed, you can achieve a prolonged Theta state in the tank, a state of consciousness that is usually only seen in children and people who have spent years practicing meditation. Even the magnesium-based Epsom salts we use in the tank are good for you. They soften and replenish your skin, and help counteract the magnesium deficiency that most of us have due to depleted magnesium levels in our soil. They’re also kosher, just in case you want to float in water that has been blessed by a Rabbi.

09/04/2025

Booking your cat a float? Don't do that.

09/03/2025

This September, we are hosting local artist Katherine McDowell. She is a very accomplished printmaker and has spent the past 18 years creating 500 one-of-a-kind abstract monotypes. She's included limited edition prints in the style of Moku Hanga as well as several of her monotypes to put on display.

Before or after your float, feel free to wander around and check them out!

09/01/2025

Try a float, and give yourself space to relax.

08/29/2025

Schedule yourself a float session for a little extra dose of reverie... perhaps even a little enlightenment.

08/27/2025

Photograph of an early test subject for a non-salt water floatation option.

08/25/2025

It’s all fun and games until you tap into a collective alien consciousness and travel back in time.

08/22/2025

There are a lot of “first float” reports out there, but this recent article from Women’s Health is an especially well written one.

The benefits include relaxation and reducing muscle soreness.

08/20/2025

This month’s blog post is about the benefits of sharing or writing down your float experiences. We keep public journals in our lobby (which we encourage you to use), and it’s always an absolute pleasure reading through people’s entries.

Floating has a wonderful habit of surprising us. One session might feel like drifting into a nap where time collapses, the next like a full-body massage. Some floats erupt in vibrant visuals, others drop you straight into a contemplative stillness that lingers for days.

08/18/2025

Floating will help to bring a lot of things into focus.

08/15/2025

The largest gathering of float enthusiasts, business owners, researchers, and manufacturers is happening right now! Almost all of the presentations from past years are up for free on YouTube, and if you want to watch live, you can nab virtual tickets at floatconference.com

08/13/2025

We provide pretty much everything you need for a great float, but you’ll have to use your own toothbrush...

08/11/2025

When you work hard, it’s important to relax hard as well.

Address

4530 SE Hawthorne Boulevard
Portland, OR
97215

Opening Hours

Monday	5:30pm - 1:30am
Tuesday	8am - 1:30am
Wednesday	8am - 1:30am
Thursday	8am - 1:30am
Friday	8am - 5am
Saturday	8am - 1:30am
Sunday	8am - 1:30am

Website

http://floathq.com/

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