OUTDOOR RECREATION ARTICLES

Cold Plunge, Sauna, and Float Therapy

Cold Plunge, Sauna, and Float Therapy

September 01, 20243 min read

I gasp as I enter the frigid water. My breath slowly normalizes as I adapt to the forty-five-degree cold plunge. My survival instincts take over, and I breathe through the intensity of the cold. I enter the warmth of the sauna and begin the second wave of my session: the fire to balance out the ice. As I sweat, my curiosity tingles with the anticipation of what is next. I feel a wave of endorphins and euphoria wash over me as I wrap up my sauna and cold plunge session.

With my senses heightened and my body activated, I've never felt so alive. Even though I just spent forty intense minutes leveling up, I know the journey is only just beginning. I exit the fire and ice suite and enter the Infinity Room for my ninety-minute float session.

Silence. Darkness. Weightlessness.

I am far beyond the seductive pull of screens, the never-ending buzz of notifications, and the constant chaos of the news cycle. No distractions. No spam. Nothing exists beyond the rhythm of my breath, the beating of my heart, and the energetic pulsing of my nervous system.

I float in tranquil waters, weightlessly drifting through the vast expanse of everything and nothing: the pregnant possibility that prefaces creation…the void.

What is a Float Tank?

The float tank was designed and engineered to be an isolation experience. Fill up a tank with about a foot of skin-temperature water, add nearly one ton of salt and some tranquility, and voilà—float tank!

The float tank is an environment with no light, sound, temperature, or gravity. Due to the extreme buoyancy of the salty water, it is possible to lay back and float effortlessly. This is called floatation therapy or simply “floating.” It is incredibly relaxing to pause the constant stimulation and endless distractions of the noisy and chaotic world.

Due to its therapeutic effects, the scientific term for floating is Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy or REST. There is a whole laundry list of mental, emotional, and physical benefits associated with REST. Freeing the central nervous system from gravity and external inputs is a game changer. From pain relief and recovery to stress reduction and deep relaxation, the float tank is one of the most peaceful environments on earth.

Floating aids in treating mental disorders, like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, while also boosting feelings of well-being and serenity. The feeling one gets from floating is analogous to an incredible massage, a good night's sleep, or even a full system reset. Floating isn’t just helpful for back pain, insomnia, stress, and burnout; it also provides a unique opportunity for self-discovery that cannot be found anywhere else.

When you enter the tank, the stimulation and distractions of the outer world are eliminated so that you might enter the inner realm of the psyche and explore the YOUniverse within.


To experience the benefits of fire and ice and to explore the float tank yourself, take a trip to True North Float at 1664 South Dixie Drive, Suite D-103, in St. George, Utah. For more information or to book an appointment, visit their website at tnfloat.com or call 435-212-1125.

cold plungefloat therapy
blog author image

Christian Dockstader

Christian Dockstader is the founder and CEO of True North Float, the first transformational wellness center in St. George, Utah. He is also a writer and podcast host for True North Project, an initiative to create liberating structures for a more beautiful world.

Back to Blog