At Rise Above Floatation in Westchester, people are removing themselves from all sensory stimulation to get away from the stresses of the world and to amplify the body’s natural healing mechanisms. While results vary from person to person, floatation therapy is a good alternative for people who wish to treat their chronic pain without pharmaceuticals, says owner Micah Saccomanno.

Clients float atop a dense solution of Epsom salts, triggering an effect known in the medical world as the relaxation response. “This dials back all the hormone surges that come from any elevation in stress levels, lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels while increasing blood flow to the entire body,” Saccomanno says.

The experience goes further than just being alone or taking a nap, he adds. “Just as you might close your eyes in order to fall asleep to replenish your resources, a floatation session allows you to gradually extract yourself from sights, sounds, touch and even gravity.”

He recalls how, after one float session, a client with fibromyalgia couldn’t feel any of the pain she’d woken up with that morning. Another client called him to report that her regular pain level had gone from a “12” to a “4.”

All the rooms in the float center are completely clean and private, with personal showers. They are designed to allow users to go at their own pace, easing into total silence or darkness, he says.

Rise Above Floatation is located at 111 E. Main St., Mount Kisco, NY. Appointments are available seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. To book an appointment, visit RiseAboveFloatation.com or call 914.241.1900.