Blue Spaces

Oct 31

Blue Spaces are essential for fostering ease and relaxation in our busy lives and contributing to a healthy and prosperous society. As defined in Restorative Cities, Blue Spaces are areas that incorporate water elements such as lakes, rivers, and waterfronts, and artificial features like fountains, ponds, and rain gardens.

In my definition, Blue Spaces also include spa facilities in our urban landscapes. Hydrotherapy spas with hot tubs, cold lunges, and relaxing pools as well as float therapy facilities offer concentrated Blue Spaces that prove how healing water can be.

My goal for Spa Research is to promote, develop, and incorporate systems that enhance well-being and resilience, ensuring our urban environments nurture both individual health and community vitality. By integrating Blue Spaces into our cities, we can create environments that encourage relaxation and support wellness for everyone.

Float Seattle was my home base for starting my float marathons. Towards the end of the lockdown, I was living in the University District, just a two-mile walk from Float Seattle’s Greenlake location. They offered an introductory floating sale for a week, which I saw as a great opportunity to dive fully into float therapy.

During that week, I floated for two hours a day and quickly became hooked on the positive experiences and feelings that float therapy brings. As I spent time alone during lockdown, and without a car, dealing with flare-ups from Crohn's disease was a tiresome task. In that first week of floating, I noticed a significant improvement in mental clarity which helped me manage the challenges of living with Crohn’s and providing a moment of peace.

I experienced physical improvements as well, including increased energy, reduced tension, and less joint pain. My skin and complexion improved, and my mood brightened—I felt more joyful, talkative, and sociable. I remember my walks home after floating, feeling grateful for the little things around me: the squirrels running up trees, the greenery under the overpasses, and the unique charms of each neighborhood. I was thankful that my city had a Blue Space like Float Seattle within walking distance.

Being stuck at home with a chronic illness can be exhausting and limiting. The reopening of float centers allowed the public to heal without contact, which is essential for someone like me with a compromised immune system. I appreciated this safe environment, as float therapy offers a clean, private experience that minimizes exposure to bacteria and viruses.

The quiet environment, combined with the buoyant water and cool blue lights, made each session as rejuvenating as a full evening at the spa. I purchased a membership to continue this practice, and after about three months, I had floated for about 100 hours. I realized I didn’t need to continue every day, instead, I saw it as an intense healing marathon. It significantly improved my ability to manage life with Crohn’s, creating a stable foundation to build on.

After moving a few times and my grandparents gifting me my car, I felt called to return to floating and now was able to explore Float Seattle’s other locations in Greenwood, South Lake Union, and Bellevue, and drive by even more natural areas with magnificent views of Blue Spaces.

When I first fell seriously ill at 22 with Crohn’s, my cognitive clarity was the first to go, affecting my writing, reading, and communication skills. During the second float marathon, my mind and body were healing enough that I felt motivated to write, so much so that I started creating blog posts for Float Seattle. This then inspired me to blaze my own path and start Spa Research.

Increasing access to float and spa facilities provides natural healing environments to so many people who may not otherwise have access to natural Blue Spaces. I experienced its healing transformation firsthand. Without access to Blue Spaces, I may have still been struggling to get out of bed.

I value the growth of wellness businesses, particularly Blue Spaces because research shows they enhance the physical, mental, and emotional living conditions of a community. Having more spas in a city highlights the importance of a healthy work-life balance that includes leisure and wellness. I believe that the healthier a city is, the more productive, creative, and wealthy it can become.

2022 Seattle, WA / Float Seattle South Lake Union

2022 Seattle, WA / Richmond Beach Saltwater Park

October 30th, 2024
Happy National Spa Week! 🛀

Emily Kosciuk

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