15 Minutes in This Genius 'Flotation Tank'-Inspired Wellness Chair Convinced Me That This Is the Most Relaxing Way You Could Ever Sit

When I first learned of David Hugh's Aiora chair, I was curious to know how deep its claim of inducing meditative calm really goes. So, when I made my way down to a demonstration on a random Thursday, I did not expect to leave with my subconscious state altered in any way. But there I was an hour later, making my way back with a mind full of questions about the future of restorative design.

Wellness rooms are no longer the spaces they once were, with a yoga mat here and a sound bowl there. We're all yearning to curate zones that truly provide peace and a way to disconnect. This unassuming piece of furniture proves that the innovation to satisfy these desires is not far away.

After a decade of trial and research, the chair has been crafted to hold your body in perfect equilibrium, allowing you to achieve deep meditation in minutes. But before I tell you about my experience with Aiora, let's talk about the chair itself.

The Aiora Chair

"We were inspired to design Aiora as we were looking to build on the successes of our first chair — the Elysium," says Dr David Wickett, co-founder of DavidHugh and creator of Aiora.

"Floatation® technology has been shown to produce brain wave patterns similar to those observed in long-term Buddhist meditators, even in those with no prior meditation experience. And we were looking to radically evolve the design."

He tells me that Aiora arose from a mission to build on the legacy of the Elysium, improve the biomechanics, and enhance the experience they were creating. Enter the Aiora chair, which has a surprising style edge you don't always associate with classic meditation rooms.

First, let's talk about design. For a chair that does so much, it's surprising how sleek the aesthetic has turned out. If you're a total minimalist, the Signature collection with its tan, ivory, and stormy gray colorways is for you. Then there's the Soul range featuring beautiful multi-chrome combinations. And finally, the Monochrome line that stylistically strikes a happy medium between the two.

Enhanced by planar motion mechanics, Aiora has been designed to bring your body into a perfect state of equilibrium, allowing your mind to drift into meditation with ease.

It's the ultimate addition to digital detox zones, since the chair represents the need for less external noise, and in turn, a heightened state of introspection and personal awareness.

Every breath and movement causes the chair to shift. So, the aim is to relax and let the mechanics of your body and the chair work in tandem to gently make you feel weightless. Cushioned by pressure-responsive memory foam or premium Muirhead leather, depending on your chair of choice, you'll eventually find your feet elevated to be at the same level as your heart, a position that's known to improve circulation.

And the scientific thought behind the chair and its positive consequences on physical and mental health don't end there. If you're curious to learn more, DavidHugh's white papers on posture biomechanics and sensory integration will give you a deeper insight into the intricacies.

My Experience

"It's incredible," I must have said at least five times after my 15-minute meditation. But that wasn't where it began.

After David explained the history of the chair to me, I was asked to take a seat. And since the chair reacts to every breath and movement, my first few minutes with Aiora felt shifty. Then, slowly, I trusted the chair and relinquished the active control over my body, nestling into the plush cushioning.

I was then offered a pair of headphones with a score produced by the DavidHugh team to facilitate a guided meditation. Considering I've only ever meditated at home, I waved away any thoughts of being in the middle of the Bang & Olufsen store in New Bond Street, and focused my mind on the meditative music and eventual narration by David.

Five minutes in, curious to see how much my position in the chair had changed, I opened my eyes to find myself completely shifted from my original uprightly seated position to being almost horizontal.

Already slightly amazed at not having physically noticed as my position shifted, I decided to commit to trusting the process and surrendered to the meditation. Now, this next part will sound a little crazy, but it's the absolute truth.

For the next half of the deeper meditative state, my mind was transported to space. Blanketed in soft stars and cloaked in darkness, with the thought of my body oscillating in the middle of space. I felt like a singular being and a part of something bigger, with my anxieties being stripped away and my mind feeling peace that I've never experienced before.

I've sat in specialized meditation chairs, grounded myself in nature, and even spent time in a floatation tank. Yet somehow, here, in a brick-and-mortar store, laying in this chair, I unlock a state of my unconscious I've never managed to ever before.

I'm almost nervous to answer when David asks about my experience. Wondering if throwing the words space, oscillating, and void into my answer will make me sound slightly off my centre. However, upon sharing my true feelings, he tells me that similar testimonials have been shared post demonstration.

He says that each person has a different experience with Aiora. During the meditation, some people believe themselves to be oscillating (like me), while others feel themselves softly spinning, and some sit stationary. You might find yourself in space, or in a world of color, or maybe just a clean white space. It's all up to your subconscious.

And so, you can't fault me for saying it's incredible. I mean that in the deepest sense of the way, and I have never reported so about any experience prior. However, if you're a skeptic, like I once was, or you're intrigued and keen to observe Aiora for yourself, I highly recommend booking a demonstration.

More Decor for Your Wellness Room

There's plenty of innovation in the realm of wellness interior design. And the next concept I'd love to put you on to is anxious furniture by Tanuvi Hegde.