Alok Sharma, the Member of Parliament for Reading West, last week visited Floating Point Float Centre, a new business located on Horseshoe Road in Pangbourne which encourages customers to let their troubles float away.

Floating Point provides private floating pods, which are filled with 1000lbs of Epsom salt dissolved in water, providing water denser than the Dead Sea that allows customers to float without exerting any physical effort and totally relax. In what feels like a gravity-free environment, users can put in ear plugs, close their eyes and allow all of their senses to rest.

Alok, who recently held a debate in Parliament on treatment of fibromyalgia, met with Alice Gostomski, leader of the Reading Fibromyalgia Support Group and Michael Cordova, Director of Floating Point Float Centre ahead of UK Fibromyalgia Awareness Week (6-12 September 2015) to discuss how floating can help people living with fibromyalgia. The benefits of the floating pods are said to help reduce stress and anxiety, reduce blood pressure, reduce insomnia and provide pain relief.

Floatation REST, which stands for Reduced Environmental Stimulus Therapy, involves the use of a specially designed floatation tank, pool or room. The patient floats on his or her back in a shallow body of water highly saturated with magnesium sulphate (Epsom salt), a mineral compound known for its benefits to health. The patient remains calmly buoyant in an environment of reduced light, sound, touch and other sensory input.

Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. As well as widespread pain, people with fibromyalgia may also have: increased sensitivity to pain, fatigue, muscle stiffness, difficulty sleeping, problems with mental processes, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome.

Alok Sharma said: “It was very interesting to visit Floating Point Float Centre and to see how the floating pods worked. I was encouraged to hear about the health benefits of using a floating pod and in particular, I hope that they might prove useful for people suffering with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions.”

Michael Cordova, Director of Floating Point Float Centre said: “Research has shown that Floating can help sufferers of Fibromyalgia relax, manage pain and attend to tasks which normally cause them difficulty. We want to raise awareness of Floatation Therapy and how floating can help those suffering with chronic pain.”

Alice Gostomski, leader of the Reading Fibromyalgia Support Group said: “One of our members is going to trial the floatation Pod and write a report which we are happy to share. We hold regular meetings in Reading for dates and details please email reading.fibromyalgia@gmail.com.”

For more information about floating, or to book a session, visit: www.floating-point.co.uk

Photo: Alok Sharma with Michael Cordova, Director of Floating Point Float Centre and Alice Gostomski, leader of the Reading Fibromyalgia Support Group