FLOAT HOPES

If your only knowledge of float tanks is Eleven from Stranger Things experiencing sensory deprivation, fear not. Floating offers an abundance of benefits for both body and mind. “It’s a collective physical and mental release,” says Jesse Ratner-Decle, co-founder of Float Toronto. “It decompresses your joints, and all of your muscles relax.” Then your brain shifts into a resting state—the theta state of intense relaxation (which is present during REM sleep and hypnosis). “It’s like deep meditation without having to try,” he adds. Ratner-Decle says that floating cultivates fans from varying fields: Athletes love it for recovery (it allows for the quicker repair of muscle tears), artists use it to enhance creativity and actors appreciate the solitude for memorizing scripts. Even chronic-pain sufferers (such as those with fibromyalgia) have felt relief after climbing out of the tank, which is set at a comfy 34.5ºC. The art of unplugging is real: “When you remove all stimuli, it gives you an opportunity to process everything in your life without distraction,” says Ratner-Decle. There’s also a beauty bonus: Each float tank is laced with 450 kilograms of German magnesium, which nourishes the skin and leaves it soft and smooth. No wonder supe Elle Macpherson is a fan. ($65 per hour, float-toronto.com)