Category Archives: meditation

Recently updated on March 14th, 2017 at 09:27 am

Maybe it’s because I live in the city of lakes which is also located in the land of 10,000 lakes that drew me to the idea of Float Therapy. Float Therapy is a rebranded term for what used to be called isolation therapy or sensory deprivation therapy. It is a practice where you float in a sort of large bathtub that is filled with salt water. Float therapy is a form of mediation.  I did my first float session at the Float Foundation in Minneapolis which coincidentally is on the other side of Lake Harriet from my house.

I found a Groupon deal for a float session and thought I would give it a try. A 90 minute float session costs $69 while a 60 minute costs 61.99. After purchasing you can book a time via their online calendar on their website.

My go to method of relaxation and meditation is the Sol Tec Lounge in my house which is sort of the opposite of the sensory deprivation method where layered music is played along with vibrations to keep you present and avoid distracting thoughts.

What are the benefits of float therapy? Here’s a roundup of some symptoms that float therapy claims to alleviate:

• Stress relief
• Muscular pain
• Rheumatism
• Chronic pain
• Fatigue Fertility
• High blood pressure
• Migraine headache
• Jet lag
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Back pain
• Depression
• Pre-menstrual tension
• Post-natal depression

Float therapy also promotes the following:

• Problem solving
• Creativity
• Increase energy
• Increased feelings of well being

The float tank is sound proof or as sound proof as can be, and the temperature of the water is skin temperature so that you aren’t too hot or too cold. The epsom salt allows you to float effortlessly. If you haven’t floated like this before, it is an experience worth having.

Here’s a picture of the float room that I used. Behind me is a private shower as well to use before and after using the float tank.

I didn’t feel clausterphobic in the float room because the ceiling was high enough at my head. It slopes lower towards my feet but I didn’t find that to be a problem.

I booked an hour and a half float session becuase with meditation it takes a while for me to properly relax and I wanted to make sure that I had adequate time to adjust given the new environment. These rooms have a button where you can have a soft light on or push it again for total darkness. I played around with both but ultimately found the darkness to be preferable and less distracting.

This float chamber also has a neck support which you can use to help stabilize your head. I don’t think it’s necessary but I ended up using it for most of my session to fell a little more secure and to ensure water didn’t get in my ears.

Inside the chamber there is also a dial which can be used to play quiet, relaxing music. I tried that out for a bit and found it enjoyable since it was so faint it wasn’t really distracting.

It took me about 20 minutes to fully relaxing during my session. I think that’s because I was just enjoying the experience of floating and total relaxation. For an hour and a half session, this went faster than I expected. There’s no need to worry about over staying your welcome either. The light outside the chamber will turn on to alert you that your session is over.

After your session you can rinse off with a shower with soap and shampoo included:

I really enjoyed my float therapy session. Since I did it in early March in Minnesota, it was kind of a hassle to get undressed, shower then get dressed again and go off into the cold. However, the warm float tank really took the chill off and took me away from the winter doldrums.

While I found the float therapy session to be relaxing, I didn’t have as productive a meditation session as I normally have in my Sol Tec Lounge. It could be that I am used to my form of meditation over this one. Using the Lounge in my house is much more convenient as well.

I highly recommend trying float therapy. I think many people will benefit from just being able to tune out the world and all its distractions for an hour. While I didn’t fall asleep during float therapy, I slept very well the night I did my session.

 

 

 

Recently updated on February 26th, 2017 at 03:47 pm

I started sleepsherpa.com as a way to delve deeper into the topic of sleep and educated myself through writing about sleep products and sleep research. As this site has grown, an increasing amount of time has been spent reviewing sleep products, mostly mattresses. While a quality mattress that gives you the support and comfort you need to fall asleep and stay asleep is critical for a good night’s rest, more importantly is your state of mind before you fall asleep.

When you are at peace and fully relaxed, it’s easy to fall asleep just about anywhere. The hard part for most people is learning how to relax when we are constantly faced with an increasing amount of stress in our daily life. While exercise and proper nutrition are essential for a healthy life, we often carry anxieties and worries to bed with us that can keep us up throughout the night.

Anxiety is wired into our brains. It has kept us alive for thousands of years by allowing us to anticipate threats and react appropriately. However, now that we find ourselves out of caves and in the cradle of civilization, real life or death threats are exceedingly rare but we have not properly trained ourselves to turn off the anxiety switch and enjoy life.

A growing amount of research has proven the benefit of meditation for overall wellness. Here are just a few of the benefits of meditation as listed on the Mayo Clinic:

• Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
• Building skills to manage your stress
• Increasing self-awareness
• Focusing on the present
• Reducing negative emotions

Thee also list the following symptoms that meditation can help alleviate:

• Anxiety disorders
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Depression
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Pain
• Sleep problems

I have tried meditation at various times in my life and for me it is hard. Turning off our brains to just “be” is very difficult and few people can actually meditate in a productive way.

Enter the Sol Tec Lounge

This past fall I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Dan Cohen, inventor of the Sol Tec Lounge. Dr. Cohen is an M.D. Neurologist and entrepreneur. He founded the company CNS, Inc. which acquired the rights to manufacture and sell the famous Breath Right strip. In 2006, GlaxoSmithKline bought CNS which included the Breathe Right Strips and other products for 566 million.

Since selling CNS, he has founded a new company called Round River Research which makes the Sol Tec Lounge. The Sol Tec Lounge uses vibrations, sounds and magnetic fields to put you into a state of relaxation that provides benefits long after your session is over. The patented technology in the lounge is beyond my capability to adequately explain but I can speak from personal experience.

My Sol Tec Journey

My first experience with the lounge was at Dan’s house. I was skeptical at first but also excited to try a product that would help me relax. The instructions Dan gave me were simple. Just lay back and go to sleep. He gave me a blanket to keep warm and comfortable, turned on the lounge and let me doze off for about 50 minutes.

While I wanted to fall asleep, I just couldn’t my first time. Nevertheless, I was able to relax and enjoyed the sounds and vibrations from the chair. When Dan came back I certainly felt refreshed and I continued to feel relaxed the rest of the day into the following evening.

I kept thinking of that experience the following week and how I would like be able to feel that way all the time. When I checked in with Dan a few weeks later, we decided to put a chair in the Sleep Sherpa Showroom so that customers could learn more about the lounge and experience it themselves. People looking for a new mattress obviously aren’t happy with their quality of sleep and the Sol Tec Lounge is a way to address the psychological aspect of sleep problems that a mattress can’t.

Fast forward a few weeks later and I decided that I needed a lounge in my house after using it in the store before opening. I bought a chair from Dan so that I could be more intentional about using and and so that I could have my family also benefit from it.

I used the chair at least 3 days a week, every morning to start my day. It puts me in a relaxed state that I can recall when I start to feel stressed. The Sol Tec Lounge has a cumulative effect and I have begun to progress into deeper states of relaxation during my sessions.

I will continue to update readers on my Sol Tec Lounge journey via this site. For people that are looking for a way to find peace and relaxation, I have found the Sol Tech Lounge to be the easiest and most accessible way to reach a meditative state.

You can find out more about this technology and schedule a product demonstration near you on the  Sol Tec Lounge Website.

Recently updated on August 10th, 2020 at 11:58 pm

Editor’s Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. For full details visit the disclosures page.

If you’re looking for a quality meditation pillow that is both affordable and looks great, check out the new Crystal Cove meditation pillow from Brentwood Home. It was designed by Angela Kukhahn, a popular Yoga instructor from LA.

Recent studies such as this one from Harvard Health Publications show that practicing meditation leads to better sleep, less fatigue and anxiety. Having a great mattress, pillow and sheets is a good thing but if you can’t rest your thoughts at night, you won’t have good sleep.

Meditation sounds easy but it’s one of the most difficult things I have done. I currently use the Sol Tec Lounge about 3 days a week to put me in a meditative state.

Overview of the Brentwood Yoga Collection

You can order the meditation pillow direct from the Brentwood Home website. It retails for $49. It takes about a week to arrive and comes with a really nice thank you note:

Here’s a video of Angela and the meditation pillow

Construction of the Meditation Pillow from Brentwood Home

Below are is the construction and features of the Crystal Cove pillow

• Great for meditators and yogis of all skill levels and styles, or simply sitting and relaxing
• Modern, round design with removable outer cover for easy washing
• Fill is removable and refillable for a fresh and supportive resting place
• An inner liner holds the buckwheat fill, making it easy to remove and replace for a fresh resting place
• Sturdy carry handle for easy transport from home to class
• 18”x13”x6”

Materials

• Inner liner  |  all-natural cotton
• Outer liner  |  stretch-knit polyester
• Fill  |  Buckwheat hulls
• Carry handle  |  Polyester

My Brentwood Yoga Collection Findings

While I don’t meditate as often as I like, I do appreciate that this pillow keeps me in the proper position for spinal alignment. It also lessons pain in my knees and ankles which keeps me focused on nothing. The buckwheat hulls inside can be removed to make the pillow more shallow however I think it has just the right amount of loft. Since it will be primarily on the floor, the cover is unzippable and washable too.

Below is a picture of the zipper on the outer cover:

When you unzip the pillow you will see an inner cover which houses the buckwheat hulls:

The buckwheat hulls are an excellent choice for filling because they conform extremely well and do not sag or shift when you are sitting. A cotton or foam pillow will slowly lose support which can be disruptive during a meditation session.

Aside from meditation, I have found that my kids really enjoy sitting on it on the floor while watching movies or playing games. It has a great neutral color and design so it looks good with any kind of decor. Brentwood Home has created a great meditation accessory that looks and feels great. It

My Brentwood Home Meditation Pillow Findings

Learn more about the Crystal Cove Meditation Pillow