Afloat SpaQua doesn't call its flotation pools "sensory-deprivation tanks." The term just doesn't capture what actually happens when clients lie down in the 10 inches of saltwater that fill its 4'x8' tanks. Certainly they experience a reduction in sensory stimulation inside the dark, silent space, but it's hardly a "deprivation." That term implies a denial of something essential, such as when captive penguins aren't allowed to spread their wings and fly. But the whole point of using the tanks is to escape from the excess stimulation people experience in their busy lives.

It turns out getting away from all that overstimulation for an hour or two can have some surprising benefits. Not only does floating effortlessly in the 94-degree water ease joint pain and other chronic aches, it also has some unexpected effects on the mind: people who float regularly have reported noticeable increases in their creativity and problem-solving skills. Because the practice is unfamiliar to many people, Afloat SpaQua maintains informative videos and a detailed FAQ page, on which it assures clients they won't experience claustrophobia in the 8-foot-high tank, and they definitely won't be teleported to a dystopic future in which loving your family is illegal.