I wasn’t sold on biohacking.
Probably because every time I scroll on social media, there’s another influencer talking about their latest aesthetic or beauty treatment and how they’re “obsessed” with the results or how it changed their life. Truthfully, all it does is heighten the fact that what they’re really doing is telling us that our bodies aren’t enough unless you spend thousands of dollars on it.
But I was also burnt out at work (sorry to any of my bosses for reading this), and you all know that end of year exhaustion as you sprint to the new year that feels impossible to get over. And I noticed something: more and more Black women I know were quietly investing in these kinds of treatments to boost their productivity. And not just for likes and clicks, either, but as a practical investment in their own performance and longevity.
That’s what made me curious enough to check out Centner Wellness, Miami’s wellness center that everyone seemed to be talking about. I decided to put my skepticism on the back burner for a day and see what actually happened. I mean, this is journalism after all.
What I found wasn’t a futuristic dystopia filled with overly enthusiastic wellness bros (thank you Lord). Instead, I discovered a thoughtfully designed space that actually shifted how I thought about the connection between what I do for my body and how I show up at work.
Walking into the future.
Centner Wellness, founded by Leila Centner and now with three locations across Miami—Brickell, Coral Gables, and Edgewater—isn’t your typical spa. The 15,000 sq. ft. flagship facility blends ancient healing practices with modern technology in a way that feels approachable and welcoming. According to their team, precision diagnostics and deep biological insight are the foundation for everything they do. Whether you’re looking to support detox, boost your immune system, renew your skin, or find some mental clarity, they customize their offerings to match your actual goals. Their partnership with Next Wave Health + Beauty also helps you get the high-tech biohacking tools and the aesthetic side of things all under one roof.
I spent a day working through their menu of treatments, and I want to tell you which ones actually made me feel different when I got back to work.
The ones that legitimately worked.
Red Light Bed was my first stop, and I went in skeptical about whether lying in a bed of red light would do anything except make me feel silly. But, I’ll admit 30 or so minutes in, I felt less inflamed. My joints weren’t achey. And days later, I even realized that my skin looked noticeably clearer. And it wasn’t just in my mind (or was it?) because science backs this up too; red light therapy has been shown to support cellular energy and reduce inflammation. I left thinking, “okay, there might be something to this.”
The Hydrogen treatment was next, and this one surprised me most. Hydrogen therapy is supposed to reduce oxidative stress and support cellular recovery. I’ll be real—I’m still doing my own research on this one because it still feels slightly futuristic to me. But I genuinely felt more alert afterward. Like the mental fog that had been sitting over my brain for weeks just… lifted. Whether that’s placebo or science, I can’t say for certain yet. But when I got back to my emails, I was actually able to focus.
The ones that were… fine?
EmSculpt and Emsella are electromagnetic body sculpting and pelvic floor strengthening treatments respectively. They’re definitely tech-forward, and I can see how people doing the full program would see results over time. But in one session? I didn’t feel transformed. That said, these aren’t quick fixes and I know they’re cumulative. If you’re committed to the protocol, the results probably speak for themselves.
The Foot Detox was relaxing in the way a foot soak is relaxing, but I’ll be straight with you, I’m still researching whether ionic foot detoxification actually removes toxins or if it’s more about the ritual and relaxation part. I felt calmer afterward, so there’s that.
Theta Chamber uses sensory deprivation and sound frequencies to supposedly induce deep meditation states. I got in, the sounds started, and I… almost fell asleep? It felt nice, but I’m genuinely unsure if I was experiencing theta wave frequencies or just enjoying silence in a world that never shuts up.
What actually changed.
Here’s what I noticed when I got back to work: my focus returned. Not the forced, caffeinated, anxious focus I’d been operating on, but actual clarity. The burnout didn’t evaporate (I know burnout doesn’t work that way) but my capacity to handle it shifted. I was less reactive.
Some of this might be placebo. And honestly, who cares? If your body feels better and your mind is clearer, does the mechanism matter? But I also think some of this is real. The red light therapy, the improved circulation, the oxygen support are all things that have measurable biological effects. Combined, they actually do something.
I’m still skeptical about biohacking as a concept. The industry can be oversold, and I’m not about to pretend that a day of wellness treatments is a substitute for actual rest, therapy, or addressing the root causes of burnout. But I’m also not dismissing it anymore. There’s something to be said for giving your body intentional support when you’re asking it to perform at a high level. These tools exist at the intersection of science and wellness, and they seem to actually work—at least for me, at least right now.
If you’re curious but skeptical like I was, it’s worth trying. Just go in with realistic expectations. This isn’t a miracle cure. It’s advanced recovery, premium self-care, and a different way of thinking about what it means to actually take care of yourself. For someone running on empty, that’s something worth investing in.