Maybe a friend mentioned it, or you have read about athletes using hyperbaric chambers between training days. Either way, it is natural to wonder what an hour inside a pressurized chamber actually feels like, and what people hope to get from it.
This guide walks you through a session at Serenus Float & Wellness in Bloomington, Indiana: how the chamber works, what you will notice, and what research is exploring about recovery. If you have questions after reading, we are always happy to talk them through.
How a hyperbaric session works
"Hyperbaric" simply means higher than normal pressure. During a session, you rest inside a sealed chamber while the air pressure around you is gradually raised. At higher pressure, your lungs can take in more oxygen than they would at normal room pressure.1
Our Hyperpod chamber is pressurized to 1.5 atmospheres absolute (ATA), about one and a half times the pressure at sea level. That makes it a gentler experience than the medical chambers used in hospitals, which typically run at two to three times normal pressure to treat specific conditions under a medical team's care.1
A session with us is a wellness experience: an hour set aside to recline, rest, and breathe easy in a quiet space.
What you will notice during your session
You will settle into a reclining position, and a clear upper panel lets you see out while you rest. Many people simply relax, let their thoughts wander, or close their eyes for a while.
As the pressure rises, you may feel a fullness in your ears, similar to the feeling during a flight's descent. Yawning or swallowing usually helps it pass.1 Your host will explain how this works before you begin, and the pressure is raised gradually so you can adjust.
Afterward, some people feel a little tired or hungry.1 It is a good idea to have a glass of water and give yourself a few minutes before heading back into your day.
What research is exploring about recovery
Athletes and active people are often curious whether hyperbaric sessions can help them bounce back after hard training. It is an active area of research.
A 2026 meta-analysis of 10 studies and 299 participants found improvements in measures of exercise-related muscle injury, though not in how sore people felt overall.2 Another 2026 systematic review called for larger and more consistent trials before drawing firm conclusions about muscle recovery.3
In other words, researchers are still mapping out what hyperbaric sessions can do for recovery, and studies use a range of pressures and schedules. If recovery is your interest, a session can be a restful addition to the fundamentals: good sleep, nourishing food, hydration, and sensible training.
Who should check with a doctor first
Changes in pressure are not right for everyone. Please talk with your doctor before booking if you have had a collapsed lung, take certain chemotherapy medications, had recent ear or sinus surgery, have a pacemaker or other implant, are pregnant, have a fever or respiratory infection, or feel uneasy in enclosed spaces.
If you are hoping to address a specific medical condition, your doctor is the right partner for that conversation. Hyperbaric oxygen prescribed for medical treatment takes place in a hospital or clinical setting.1
Your first session at Serenus
New to hyperbaric oxygen? Your first 60-minute session is $59. Visit our hyperbaric oxygen page to learn more, or get in touch with any questions before you book.
We will show you the chamber, explain each step, and make sure you feel comfortable before your session begins.
Sources
- Mayo Clinic Staff. (2024). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy. ↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
- Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Exercise-Induced Muscle Injury and Soreness: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. (2026). Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 107(3), 522–532. DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2025.07.017. ↩
- Weinrich L, Tischer T, Schlesiger L. (2026). Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on human musculoskeletal pathologies in clinical studies: a systematic review. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 27, 661. ↩