What to Wear and Bring to Your Ketamine Appointment

Short answer: Dress like it is a long, comfortable flight: soft layers, easy sleeves, cozy socks. Bring your ride arrangement, a water bottle, a journal, and maybe your own eye mask, and plan to hand your phone a day off. Skip heavy meals beforehand, contact lenses if eyes may close for an hour, and anything you would need to think hard about. Here is the simple list.

What to wear

Comfort wins every decision. Soft, loose layers work best, because body temperature can drift a little during an infusion and rooms are kept calm and cool; a sweater or hoodie you can add or shed is perfect. Choose a top with sleeves that roll up easily for the IV and the blood pressure cuff. Cozy socks are the veteran move, shoes come off, and warm feet do more for relaxation than you would guess. Skip anything tight, fussy, or new, and leave jewelry simple. Think favorite Sunday clothes, not gym or office.

What to bring

The short packing list: your arranged ride home, non-negotiable, as covered in driving after ketamine; a water bottle for afterward; a small journal and pen for capturing what surfaced, the habit we recommend in the aftercare guide; an eye mask if you prefer your own, though we provide them; and headphones only if you have a strong preference, since music is built into our rooms with a custom experience on our iPad app. A light snack for after is smart, as is your regular medication list on first visits.

What to leave behind

Your phone will be safe but should be irrelevant: notifications and a dissociative journey do not mix, and the hour after is better spent landing gently than scrolling. Work has no place on infusion day, as we mapped in working around treatment. Contact lenses are better swapped for glasses, since eyes rest closed for most of the session. And skip perfume or strong scents in shared spaces, alcohol entirely that day, and heavy meals within a few hours of your slot, a light stomach keeps nausea rare.

Small comforts that punch above their weight

A few favorites from experienced patients: a soft scarf or shawl that smells like home, a small meaningful object to hold, a photo that anchors your intention, lip balm, and a planned cozy evening on the other side, dinner sorted, couch ready, no obligations. None of it is required; all of it tilts the day toward ease. Set and setting are half the experience, which is why we built the private suites and ocean views into the clinic itself, and why the small personal touches you bring complete the picture.

The real preparation is lighter than you think

Notice what is not on this list: nothing medical, nothing complicated. Your care team handles the clinical side entirely. Your only jobs are comfort, logistics, and arriving with a soft intention for the work, the approach we describe in what ketamine therapy feels like. People often over-prepare for their first session and then laugh at how simple it turned out to be. Aim for the simplicity on purpose.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Follow the specific instructions your clinic provides.

The bottom line

Soft layers and cozy socks, sleeves that roll up, a ride arranged, water, a journal, an easy evening planned, and a phone on silent. That is genuinely the whole list. If you have questions before your first visit, call us at (310) 280-4440.

Frequently asked questions

What should I wear to a ketamine infusion? Soft, loose, comfortable layers with sleeves that roll up easily for the IV and blood pressure cuff, plus cozy socks. Dress for a long comfortable flight, not an appointment.

What should I bring to my ketamine appointment? Your arranged ride home, a water bottle, a small journal, optionally your own eye mask, and a light snack for after. Music and comfort items are typically provided.

Can I eat before a ketamine infusion? Keep it light in the hours before your session to minimize nausea, and follow your clinic's specific fasting guidance.

Can I bring my phone into a ketamine session? You can, but plan to silence it and leave it out of reach. Notifications disrupt the experience, and the hour afterward is better spent resting than scrolling.