Armed with an idea, MacPhee got to work, using her engineering skills to dig into the science of floatation. To some, climbing in a tank of saltwater for 75 minutes of sensory deprivation might sound a bit “woo-woo,” but nearly 70 years of research documents the wide range of benefits floating offers. Floating can ease chronic pain, improve circulation, reduce stress, improve mental and physical performance, boost mood, and enhance overall wellbeing. And that’s only some of the potential gains.

Lindsey MacPhee opened the centre after floating in British Columbia. She loves that she has found a business that focuses on happiness. When people leave happy and zen, she says they spread that around to their family, neighbourhood and workplace. “It’s been likened to an adult-sized womb,” she says. “Seventy-five minutes away from your phone — and everyone else.”

Magnesium is absorbed by the skin during a float session. It can regulate blood pressure, assist in detoxification, and can prevent cardiovascular disease. And the benefits for your mind are endless. A float session can enhance your mediation and mindfulness practices, it can reduce stress, depression and anxiety with the increased production of dopamine and endorphins (the neurotransmitters responsible for mood elevation). And, the precursor to stress (Cortisol) has its production slowed, which allows for deep states of rest. One float session can be as beneficial as four to six hours of deep sleep.

MacPhee says, when the senses are deprived and external stimuli is removed, the brain acts differently. “Your brain goes into an induced state of relaxation, which is a theta wave state. It’s typically known as the meditative state.” Floating has been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while boosting dopamine and endorphins – the neurotransmitters responsible for happiness.

Research still hasn’t given an official reason as to why the body goes into an intense state of relaxation while in these tanks, but the cause is often believed to be the neurological state of imitating sleep, according to The Washington Post. Still, people are reaping the benefits.

Floating has been shown to help those with chronic pain, insomnia, or athletes who want to lessen recovery time, thanks to a one-hour session feeling like four to six hours of deep sleep, MacPhee said, and a high magnesium content in the solution.

You step into a tank that has 10 inches of water and 800 pounds of Epsom salts dissolved into it, and you close the door behind you. There are no sights, sounds or smells and you float buoyantly on top of the solution because it’s so dense. It’s denser than the dead sea and the temperature of the water is the same as your skin’s surface. So you end up eventually feeling nothing at all.