What is it about the ocean that relaxes us? It may be the vastness, it can be the solitude, it might be the supportiveness of floating, or it could be the salt. Actually, those are all soothing, and most of these tranquil conditions are available on land in salt caves and float rooms.

A visit to a salt cave involves an excursion into halotherapy — an approach to using salt vapor to relieve the symptoms of disorders and complaints such as inflammation, skin conditions, respiratory limitations, joint aches, digestive troubles, anxiety, insomnia, and lethargy. When it comes to a float room (or tank), the pull of gravity on mind and body is eliminated when floating in skin-temperature, Epsom salt-laden water.

Those who find their symptoms eased and their feelings uplifted after time in a salt cave benefit from basking in the negatively charged ions emitted by the salt lining the walls, floor, and blown into the air. Patrons remain dressed (no shoes), turn off electronics, sink into zero gravity chairs, and tuck blankets around themselves  as they breathe concentrated “ocean” air.

According to Marcy Bishop-Guzman, RN, co-owner of Port Jeff Salt Cave, (www.portjeffsaltcave.com), most who enter her Himalayan salt room feel their respiratory system drain as breathing become less strained. Twinges and aches may ease, skin may feel more comfortable, and shoulders may loosen up just as happens during a beach vacation. That feeling, along with a boost in immunity, may last days after the salt cave stopover.

“Salt isn’t going to cure anything but a ham,” cautions Bishop-Guzman. “If you have an illness or disease, it will still be there after visiting a salt cave. But it promotes tremendous well-being.”

Euphoric was how Tom Wunk felt the first time he tried out a floating experience. He called it “life-changing” both in his physical well-being and in his career path. He installed a float tank in his basement and enticed friends and family to find bliss in the brine. Along with co-owner Hardy Patel, Wunk founded The Float Place (www.thefloatplace.com) to bring bliss to the public.

Whether visiting a float room or tank, patrons retire to a private location to disrobe and shower before stepping into an experience similar to floating in the salty waters of the Dead Sea. Though the therapeutic effects of the Dead Sea’s salts differ from Epsom salts, Wunk stresses that people derive benefits from relieving the gravitational pull on their aching bodies, by being immersed in warm water, and by releasing worries or focusing on thoughts due to sensory and environmental deprivation. (Scientific studies have found that light deprivation and the absence of outside input increase brain activity and creativity, much like a good night’s sleep or meditation.)

People with claustrophobia don’t suffer in a float room, per Wunk. Unlike elevators or other enclosed spaces where the person has no real control over exiting, “the floater can get out at any time, which is comforting,” he advises.

Also comforting is the bonus after an elating float. According to Wunk, “Across the board, everyone who experiences floating sleeps like a baby.”

As boaters, we already appreciate salt water’s appeal, though our opportunities are

never plentiful enough. That’s when a visit to an invigorating-yet-relaxing salt cave or float room can lift our spirits and, yes, float our boats.

As Bishop-Guzman says, “There’s no substitute for the ocean, but drawing toxins out and releasing endorphins from the top of head to the feet is a big boost.”

Anyone with health impediments or concerns should discuss halotherapy or floating with a medical professional.