Float Harder

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Float Harder Maine's first float tank center featuring two float pods and two float rooms with a focus on cleanli Looking for a new experience?
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Try the ultimate tool for relaxation. Our sensory deprivation tanks will help you to relax your muscles and clear your mind. If you experience chronic pain, enjoy meditation, feel overwhelmed by sensory over load, are looking for that competitive edge, or just want to relax, then treat yourself to a session in one of our state of the art floatation tanks!

10/25/2026

The 2026 Hunter’s Moon peaks at 12:12 AM on Monday, October 26, with the best viewing window occurring during moonrise on the evening of Sunday, October 25.

The key to relief in a float tank is the Epsom salt. Over 1,000 pounds of it is diluted in a single tank. Floating offer...
10/19/2026

The key to relief in a float tank is the Epsom salt. Over 1,000 pounds of it is diluted in a single tank. Floating offers physical and cosmetic benefits through exfoliation and soothing skin irritations. Epsom salt crystals lightly scrub the skin removing dead skin cells and clear impurities. Soaking in such high concentrations of Epsom salt can help calm dry, itchy skin associated with conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Floating can also increases osmotic pressure, which can help draw minor splinters or foreign bodies closer to the surface. It can also help shrink pimples and skin irritations. Mild anti-inflammatory properties of the float solution reduce redness and swelling around minor blemishes.

There are benefits to hair health to boot! Floating in Epsom salt ads volume to hair. Mixing Epsom salt into hair care routines helps lift roots, absorb excess oil, and remove product buildup to boost fullness. Floaters report their hair has a fuller texture post float. Dissolving Epsom salt in water inside a spray bottle creates a DIY texturizing spray for beachy or loose waves. Mixing epsom salt with shampoo can help cut through grease on oily hair, while adding it to conditioner can help tame frizz and dullness on drier hair.

Floaters have used the tank to prep for their manicure and pedicures. Soaking hands or feet in an Epsom salt bath softens rough cuticles and hard skin, making them easier to groom. (Did we mention we are located next to a nail salon?) Ingrown toenail relief is also a benefit. Time spent in a float tank helps reduce tenderness and inflammation around minor ingrown toenails.

10/17/2026

Aside from temperature, buoyancy and support is a substantial difference in the experience. Hot tubs require active muscle engagement or balance to stay seated, and you can float up into the cooler air. Float tanks are filled with about 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt, allowing your body to float effortlessly without any muscle strain.
The environment and how your senses are engaged are at odds. Hot tubs are social, loud, bright, and feature moving water and massage jets. Float tanks are private, dark, silent, and enclosed pods or rooms built to block out all external stimulation.   Float tanks and hot tubs have many of the same benefits. Hot tubs excel at short-term physical relief, loosening stiff joints, and warming up the body. Float tanks target mental fatigue, stress reduction, deep meditation, nervous system recovery, and offloading body weight.   Float tanks are cleaner and easier to maintain. Float centers require a mandatory pre-showers to thoroughly wash and rinse in a shower before entering the tank. This rule is rarely enforced or followed in public hot tubs. Only one person (or a couple) enters a float tank at a time, whereas hot tubs are shared by multiple people simultaneously, increasing the load of sweat, body oils, and bacteria. Keep in mind each float tank contains approx. 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt, creating a high-salinity environment which inhibits the growth of pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa (the bacteria responsible for hot tub rash). Because there is are continuous turnovers between users the entire volume of water in a float tank is cycled and filtered multiple times. Unlike hot tubs, that rely solely on chlorine, float tanks use a combination of germicidal UV light, ozone purification, and hydrogen peroxide to sterilize the water between sessions.

10/15/2026

We’re heading into spooky season but float tanks, despite how they are sometimes depicted in films and media are not ominous and foreboding objects. They are vessels expanding creativity, healing, and calming nerves. October is a fun month to try something unusual or hide from Trick or Treaters. It all depends on your needs.

Let’s say you adore floating and you know someone you believe can benefit from the practice, but they are hesitant to try it? Here are some items to discuss with them that may encourage them to give it a try. Remember, anxiety often comes from the unknown. First, walk them through what the float tank actually is before they arrive. Let them know that you cannot sink. The water is about 10-12 inches and saturated with around 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt, making buoyancy effortless.

Most importantly let your prospective floater know that they are in total control. The door or lid does not lock, and they can sit up or open the enclosure at any time without assistance.

When first timers realize they can customize their session they feel more in control of their experience. Never force a full zero-stimuli dark isolation experiment on day one. Encourage them to adjust the settings. Leave the lid or door cracked. They can leave the hatch wide open or partially ajar for the entire session if your floater is uncomfortable with enclosed spaces. Remind them that total darkness is optional. Our float tanks have internal ambient lights they can leave switched on.

Many people do not realize they can float in the same tank with a buddy. We have 2 deluxe float rooms that are big enough for 2 people. Usually we recommend floating alone for a first float but not everyone is ready to float solo.

We’re heading into spooky season but float tanks, despite how they are sometimes depicted in films and media are not omi...
10/14/2026

We’re heading into spooky season but float tanks, despite how they are sometimes depicted in films and media are not ominous and foreboding objects. They are vessels expanding creativity, healing, and calming nerves. October is a fun month to try something unusual or hide from Trick or Treaters. It all depends on your needs.

Let’s say you adore floating and you know someone you believe can benefit from the practice, but they are hesitant to try it? Here are some items to discuss with them that may encourage them to give it a try. Remember, anxiety often comes from the unknown. First, walk them through what the float tank actually is before they arrive. Let them know that you cannot sink. The water is about 10-12 inches and saturated with around 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt, making buoyancy effortless.

Most importantly let your prospective floater know that they are in total control. The door or lid does not lock, and they can sit up or open the enclosure at any time without assistance.

When first timers realize they can customize their session they feel more in control of their experience. Never force a full zero-stimuli dark isolation experiment on day one. Encourage them to adjust the settings. Leave the lid or door cracked. They can leave the hatch wide open or partially ajar for the entire session if your floater is uncomfortable with enclosed spaces. Remind them that total darkness is optional. Our float tanks have internal ambient lights they can leave switched on.

Many people do not realize they can float in the same tank with a buddy. We have 2 deluxe float rooms that are big enough for 2 people. Usually we recommend floating alone for a first float but not everyone is ready to float solo.

The practice of slowing down is the deliberate regulation of your behavioral tempo and attention to shift your nervous s...
10/11/2026

The practice of slowing down is the deliberate regulation of your behavioral tempo and attention to shift your nervous system from chronic stress into a state of safety and physical restoration. To achieve an inner stillness one must attempt to shift their nervous system. Rushing keeps your body in a sympathetic state by flooding your system with adrenaline and cortisol. Slowing down activates the parasympathetic nervous system and stimulates the vagus nerve, which lowers heart rate and blood pressure by almost 30%.

Stillness can also help your brain circuitry. Staying in constant motion and multitasking can over activate the amygdala and temporarily deactivate the part of the brain responsible for logic, memory, and impulse control. Slowing down allows the prefrontal cortex to regain control and modulate emotional reactivity. Neuroplasticity and focus can be enhanced by stillness. Sustained, mindful attention thickens cortical structures in the prefrontal cortex and insula (which manages internal body awareness), breaking dopamine-driven loops of frantic productivity. Float therapy is a way to practice decelerating your mind. Floating reduces stress and anxiety by inducing a meditative brain state.

Many people choose to float in total darkness in a float tank to relieve stress, fully relax, and give their brains a br...
10/07/2026

Many people choose to float in total darkness in a float tank to relieve stress, fully relax, and give their brains a break from constant external stimulation. Floating offers a mental and neurological reset. Processing everyday sights, noise, and gravity takes up most of one’s mental energy. Removing light and sound allows the brain waves to match the deep relaxation of meditation or the moments right before falling asleep. It can also provide anxiety and stress relief. Studies show that sessions in a dark and quiet float tank can greatly lower short-term anxiety and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Many people float to enhance their senses. Many users find that removing external clutter helps them vividly tune into internal rhythms, like noticing their heartbeat or breath with a sense of calm.

Float tanks break the pain-stress cycle by removing external stimuli to quiet the nervous system, lower stress hormones,...
10/05/2026

Float tanks break the pain-stress cycle by removing external stimuli to quiet the nervous system, lower stress hormones, and give muscles total physical rest. This is how the process works:

Zero-Gravity Weightlessness: High amounts of Epsom salt make you float effortlessly. This removes the pull of gravity, which instantly relieves pressure on your joints and tight muscles.

Nervous System Reset: Darkness and silence signal your brain to exit the “fight-or-flight” response. The body shifts into the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes deep healing and physical recovery.     

Lower Stress Hormones: Floating reduces levels of cortisol, the primary hormone responsible for stress and tension responses.

Endorphin Release: The deep relaxation state helps release endorphins and dopamine, which act as natural mood boosters and pain relievers.

Better Blood Flow: As muscles fully relax, blood circulation improves, helping to flush out tension and ease stiffness.

The Maine Marathon is happening this Sunday, October 4th!We have a ton of respect for everyone taking on the marathon, h...
10/02/2026

The Maine Marathon is happening this Sunday, October 4th!

We have a ton of respect for everyone taking on the marathon, half marathon, and relay this weekend. Whether you’re chasing a PR, checking off a bucket-list goal, or just hoping to make it across that finish line, pushing your body and mind that far is no small accomplishment.

We personally know that floating can be an awesome tool both before and after a big race. Before the race, it gives you a chance to get some serious rest, relax your muscles, visualize your race, and get your head in the right place before you hit the starting line.

Afterward, it’s time to recover! Floating takes the weight and pressure off your body while giving those tired muscles and joints a chance to relax. It’s also a pretty amazing way to decompress mentally after spending hours pushing yourself through 13.1 or 26.2 miles.

I floated throughout my own marathon training last year, especially after my long runs, and it is easily one of my favorite recovery tools.

But don’t just take our word for it. Come experience it for yourself!
MAINE MARATHON RUNNERS
GET $26.20 OFF YOUR NEXT FLOAT!
RACE SPECIAL: Maine Marathon participants can take $26.20 off their next float through October 31st.

A big discount for an even bigger accomplishment!

Limit two discounted floats per runner. Available by phone booking only. Give us a call and we’ll get you scheduled.
 
We’ll be open normal hours on race day, Sunday, October 5th, and its not too late to book! (https://floatharder.floathelm.com/booking) 

Please keep in mind that there will be heavier traffic and road closures around North Deering and other parts of Portland throughout the day. We recommend accessing Float Harder via I-295 when possible and giving yourself a few extra minutes to get here on time.

Address

500 Washington Avenue
Portland, ME
04103

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 10pm
Tuesday 8am - 10pm
Wednesday 10am - 10pm
Thursday 8am - 10pm
Friday 8am - 10pm
Saturday 8am - 10pm
Sunday 8am - 10pm

Telephone

+12074005187

Website

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