My boyfriend enjoys his massage every couple of weeks, relaxing and loves his spa bath so I thought the perfect treat for his birthday would be to book in for a ‘float’.

A ‘float’ is when you hop in a pod that has over 600kgs of Epsom salts in the water. You easily float on your back for the one-hour duration. It gives you a relaxing sensation, enabling your body to rest, de-stress and heal.

I loved it, him not so much as he is not a fan of hot stuffy rooms which this was, unfortunately.

What you need to know before taking your first float;

• Eat before you go because you are in there for an hour yet try not to eat anything too heavy at least half an hour before going in

• Go to the toilet before going in

• Make sure to not have recently applied a fake tan or dyed your hair. You will be charged for any residue or stains left in the pod after your float

• Everyone must shower before getting into your pod and after getting out also. The shampoo is provided, you may like to pack a comb or other toiletries

• You wear nothing when floating except a pair of earplugs

• Take your time to relax before shutting off the light and lowering your lid. A good twenty minutes is needed as otherwise, it can cause you to panic if you rush into it or if you prefer to do one or the other, just float with the lid open and lights off or keep the lights on with the lid closed

• The water is at body temperature so you won’t feel cold, you may feel too hot especially if you close your lid because it is awfully stuffy. Condensation gathers on the lid and you may get water droplets unexpectantly on your forehead

• You will float and can bump into the walls. It doesn’t hurt, just be prepared

• Music will play in the last ten minutes, take your time getting out and have a shower to rinse all the salt off

• Don’t be afraid of falling asleep and drowning. I didn’t expect to but I did fall asleep for the last half of my float and there is so much salt in the bath it forces you to float, keeping you buoyant

• Towels, earplugs, shampoo is provided

• If you book in with your partner be prepared that you will be in separate rooms. There are no double floats

• Your skin will not wrinkle after all that time in the water

We went to the Sydney Float Centre in Darlinghurst, which is nice and clean and has a cool vibe. It costs $89 per float but it pays to watch their page as they will have special deals especially around Mothers and Father’s Day.

At first, when you lower your lid and turn off the lights you do get a feeling of claustrophobia, however, if you are able to control your mind, your worries and panic and talk yourself out of it, you will be able to fully enjoy the experience. There is no pressure to close the lid, you are in control of it. It gives the same sensation even if you leave the lid open.

They do say that a one hour float can recharge you as much as a six-hour sleep. I did come out feeling relaxed and refreshed. My boyfriend not so much.

Have you been for a float before? Would you recommend it to others? Or maybe is it something you may consider for the future? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.