Subtraction Protocol™

All three, in one visit, in the order that makes sense: Shed (sauna), Still (float), Seal (plunge). Two and a half hours. Most people describe the rest of that day differently.

Our Services

Subtraction Protocol™

Chiropractic Care

Cold Plunge & Ice Bath Therapy

Float Therapy & Sensory Deprivation

Private Infrared Sauna

About the Subtraction Protocol™

In a world defined by constant addition, more stress, more noise, more demands, true healing is found in subtraction. The Subtraction Protocol™ is Flotstone’s signature, multi-step recovery experience designed to systematically strip away physical tension and mental fatigue.

This exclusive protocol combines the deep cellular detox of our full-spectrum infrared sauna, the invigorating nervous system reset of our cold plunge, and the profound zero-gravity rest of sensory deprivation float therapy. By moving your body through deep heat, then complete stillness, then deliberate cold, you give your nervous system a full arc to travel - up, all the way down, and back.

Crafted for those who demand the highest level of physical and mental performance, the Subtraction Protocol™ is not just a spa day; it is engineered recovery. Step into our Lake Bluff sanctuary, leave the weight of the world at the door, and experience the most powerful holistic reset on the North Shore.

The research behind this

Each part of the Subtraction Protocol™ has been studied on its own. One flagship study for each:

Float - Feinstein et al. (2018), Biological Psychiatry: CNNI. One 90-minute float significantly reduced anxiety and muscle tension, with diastolic blood pressure falling more than 12 mmHg. Read it
Infrared sauna - Janssen et al. (2016), JAMA Psychiatry. A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial of infrared heat, with effects on mood still measurable six weeks after a single session. Read it
Cold plunge - Buijze et al. (2016), PLoS One. A randomized trial of 3,018 people, with 29% less sick leave taken. Read it

And the honest part: there is no randomized trial of this exact sequence. Contrast therapy generally - alternating heat and cold - has been shown to reduce muscle soreness more than passive rest at every measured interval. But Shed, Still, Seal in this order is our protocol, built on the physiology and on what people tell us afterward, not on a trial of the whole thing. When there is one, we'll link it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

It's our signature three-stage sequence, done in one visit and in one order. Shed: thirty minutes in the infrared sauna. Still: sixty minutes in the float suite. Seal: the cold plunge to finish. The order is the point - it's what makes this a protocol rather than a list of amenities.

About two to two and a half hours end to end. That covers the sauna, a full sixty-minute float, and the plunge to close, with unhurried time to shower and change between stages. It isn't something to schedule tightly.

Sauna first, float second, plunge last - Shed, Still, Seal. The heat loosens you up and starts the wind-down. The float takes it as far as it goes. The cold at the end is what seals it in, so you leave sharp rather than groggy. We'll walk you through the whole sequence on your first visit.

Absolutely. While the protocol is powerful, you are in complete control of your environment. You can adjust your time in the sauna and cold plunge to match your comfort level.

Many of our clients utilize the full protocol once a month as a deep "system reboot," while using individual services like the sauna or float tank on a weekly basis for maintenance.