Last week, I experienced flotation therapy for the first time at Float Realm in Saratoga. It was a great 60 minutes: relaxing, rejuvenating, and a bit mentally challenging. I'll share all the details below, but first I'm going to spill the beans on not just one, but TWO Simply Specials.

(Simply Specials is the term I'll be using for Simply Silicon Valley exclusive deals. I lock in deals for my readers to help us all live the good life, on less—which is exactly why this blog exists.)

Float Realm and I have partnered together to do a float giveaway. You can use either Facebook or Instagram to enter to win a one-hour float, valued at $85. Here are the instructions:

Enter with Facebook:

• Share this article on Facebook, tagging Float Realm and Simply Silicon Valley.
• Click "Like" on both Float Realm's Facebook page and Simply Silicon Valley's Facebook page.
• Complete these actions and you'll be entered to win.

Enter with Instagram:

• "Follow" Float Realm and Simply Silicon Valley on Instagram.
• "Like" the giveaway photo on both Float Realm's and Simply Silicon Valley's accounts.
• Tag 2 people in the comment section who you think would be interested in the giveaway.
• Complete these actions and you'll be entered to win.

The giveaway is open for one week, the last day to enter is Thursday, February 22. A winner will be chosen on Friday, February 23.

If you don't win the giveaway, there's no need to cry because Float Realm has a treat for everyone:

$15 off your first float! Just mention Simply Silicon Valley, offer ends March 10.

Don't you love deals? I sure do.  :)

Now, onto my float experience. I really enjoyed Float Realm. It's a beautiful refuge from the mania of daily life, nestled in historical Saratoga Village. I'd never done anything like this before, so I was a bit nervous. The spa is very clean, which helped me begin to relax right away. The tank is bigger than I expected, it's the size of a small car. When I sat in the 93 degree water filled with 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt, the water level came to just above my belly button and began lifting my body weight right away—it was a cool sensation; I felt like a buoy. It took zero effort to maintain a float; the water did all the work.

You have full control over how you want the experience to go. Since it's called "sensory deprivation," so I wanted to go all out and do it to the extreme (as much as I could handle); I courageously closed the lid of the tank and floated in complete darkness. There are blue lights you can easily illuminate at any time. You also have sound choices: complete silence, music the whole time, or a hybrid. I chose hybrid, to help me transition in and out of the float: music played the first 10 minutes, there was silence for 45 minutes (I can't believe I made it that long!), and then the music returned for the final 5 minutes. You shower before and after you float.

Many professional athletes, such as Steph Curry, swear by flotation therapy and practice it regularly. It's healing for muscles and for the mind. I highly recommend it to marathoners, triathletes, weight lifters, and anyone who is regularly pushing their body to the max. I'd also recommend it to people who are anxious and stressed—it's deeply calming. I felt very peaceful during and after.

If you have any questions about floating, please ask in the comment section below and I'll be sure to reply. And don't forget to enter the giveaway, because you just might be the lucky winner. Thank you, Float Realm, for offering these deals!