Achieving Clarity of Mind & Body

The constant ringing of your alarm clock is starting to get to you. As you lie in bed, forcing yourself awake, you imagine how your day will go. You picture the boring, stop and go commute all the way to work, where you’re again forced to sit for hours, being stacked with project on top of project to complete for your boss. You stress not only about the deadlines you have to complete but with the kids as well. What to make for dinner, what activities they have this week, and any school events you have to attend for them. Begrudgingly, you get out of bed, silently wishing it would all go away just for a second.

         Although stress is normal and common, continuous stress can be harmful to your health. Fatigue, headache, and higher risk of illness are all associated with stress, and continuously putting your body through it is harmful. To combat this, you need to achieve both clarity of mind and body, as they are equally important. Clarity of mind comes from meditation and little things such as not using technology before bed. Clarity of body refers to myofascial release, or clearing the body of toxins and the build-up of lymphatic fluids that can cause pain in the long run. Think of the body as a machine, it needs proper fuel and maintenance in order to perform properly. In application to people, this means you need a proper diet and to take care of body through stretching, massages, and spinal therapy.

         Here at Serenity Zen, our services aid in myofascial release, releasing tension in the connective tissue, allowing for increased nourishment and fluids to flow through the fascia. Although only one part in the mission to rid your day of stress, it is an important one. Increasing blood flow throughout the body allows for it to heal quicker and be more efficient in where it deposits the nutrients. Do yourself a favor and book with us today!

Hours of Operation: Open Daily 10am-9pm

(626) 915-8889

Cupping 101

As you tune into your favorite sports game, you may notice some athletes having their back or arms covered in bruised, red circles. Contrary to how it looks, the bruises are the aftermath of a very beneficial treatment known as cupping.

         Cupping has a long, rich history; dating even as far back as 400 BC by ancient Greek historian Herodotus. While they used cupping for ailments such as maldigestion, lack of appetite, and headaches; athletes today use it mainly to recover from their intense physical exercise. In a recent study, researchers found that cupping is most beneficial for relieving headaches, specifically migraines and tension headaches, and musculoskeletal pain. Here at Serenity Zen, our specialists will place glass cups on your back and cause a reaction, prompting the negative pressure within the cup to create a suction where the skin and muscles go into the cup. The improved circulation in those areas, removal of toxins, and increase in oxygen supply, allow the body to repair itself faster, bringing the relief you seek.

         Although this treatment causes the red bruises I mentioned earlier, those are temporary and there is no pain associated with getting this treatment. This along with our other services, such as spinal stretching and our modern bodywork massage, are the same recovery processes that athletes follow. If it’s good enough for them, why not treat yourself as well? Book with us here!

Serenity Zen
423 N Azusa Ave
West Covina, CA 91791
10am-9pm Daily | (626) 915-8889

Can Bad Posture Lead to Insomnia?

We’ve all felt it before. Tossing and turning throughout the night, flipping our pillows trying to make ourselves comfortable. Good sleep is important as it revitalizes the body, aiding both your mental and physical health. Interestingly enough, how you stand and sit may be the very thing stopping you from getting the best rest possible.

         Back in 2020, we had looked into posture, citing its many benefits and how to improve it if it’s poor. Conversely, bad posture negatively affects health, adding more stress and pain to your life. According to the Journal of Sleep Research, studies go on to show that back pain and insomnia coincide with each other. This means that small things that you don’t think about such as posture and even your mattress and pillows may be the very thing that stops you from getting a blissful, refreshing sleep. Furthermore, these negative effects are cyclical; body pains cause bad sleep and bad sleep hinders the body’s recovery from these pains.

         Fixing this, however, is easier than many may think. First and foremost, consider replacing your old mattress and pillows, finding ones that are best suitable for you. Secondly, review our previous blog on posture and seek to improve how you stand and sit, you’ll be shocked by how much relief you feel! Lastly, spinal stretching has been proven to have many health benefits including improved posture and balance. Check out spinal stretching at Futureproof in Diamond Bar. It takes only 20 minutes of your time, and relief can be felt immediately. Do yourself, and your body, a favor and book a session here!

It’s Never Too Late to Start Healthy Habits

As you come home, dragging your feet through the door after a long day, it is nice to kick up your feet, pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy your favorite TV show. As you sit there, however, your mind wanders as you slowly start to dread the next day.  Maybe a deadline is coming up and it's stressing you out or you simply feel overwhelmed with all the problems you face in your daily life. Either way, it saps your energy levels and all you want to do is sleep your problems away. Finding time to exercise in your daily life can be hard, however building good habits can be easy, starting with 20 minutes per day.

         Energy and exercise go hand in hand. In fact, in an article posted by Harvard Medical School, doctors found that exercise boosts energy levels due to better oxygen circulation, allowing your body to use energy more efficiently. Getting started doesn’t have to look like all these fitness influencers counting calories and working out for 2-3 hours per day six days a week. Actually, getting started can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, waking up twenty minutes earlier to cook yourself a healthy breakfast, or even doing push-ups or sit-ups during commercials of your favorite TV program. Through these good habits you’ll find yourself to be more encouraged to build other good habits, compounding them into a healthy, fit lifestyle.

         Transitioning to a healthier, more proactive lifestyle can seem daunting at first, but it starts with small changes instead of a massive one. Through these changes you’ll find yourself more energetic, and satisfied. You’ll look forward to the days ahead, ready to tackle any problem or obstacle you face. Start today!