Each year there are new up and coming wellness trends. Some of them are clearly created by quacks but others are worth looking into.
This year, wellness has certainly become a high priority.
With all the stress we have been facing from fear of the Coronavirus, the high unemployment rate, the social unrest, and the ever-present and increasing natural disasters, it’s no wonder we need some extra TLC.
With the demand, wellness companies have been trying their best to find a better supply to fill our wellness needs.
There are few new developments in the wellness industry and these seven are considered notable and follow-worthy by wellness experts.
1. Follow Your Circadian Rhythm
Our circadian rhythm is the natural cycle that our body goes through based on the time of day. This is set by the rising and setting of the sun in our part of the world.
With night shift work and 24-hour grocery stores, restaurants, and gyms, we’ve royally messed with the natural order of our circadian rhythm. Even day workers have little time to spend in natural light.
Wellness experts have taken notice of the damaging effect this has on our sleep quality but there’s more to it than that. Our circadian rhythm controls much of our biological systems.
What is the solution? Since the circadian cycle is light-based, wellness companies have been developing light products that can regulate our circadian rhythm beyond our normal daily routine.
This includes light bulbs that turn on and off based on the natural circadian habitat and readjusting light apps for traveling from one area of the world to another where the circadian rhythm changes dramatically.
Another practice that can positively affect our circadian rhythm is turning off all phones, iPads, televisions, and other devices hours before bedtime.
I’m sure you’ve heard of intermittent fasting. Well, this idea of eating only in certain blocks of time is actually based on our circadian rhythm. Most intermittent fasters will stop eating when the sun goes down.
2. Practice Mindful Eating
For years we’ve gone from counting calories to counting macros to weighing our food and cutting out whole food groups. Finally, healthy eating has been simplified.
Mindful eating is a learned skill but when you have successfully pinned it down, you can stop obsessing over what you eat and how much. You simply sit down, chew slowly, savor your food, and stop when you are full.
When choosing which foods to eat, you will, of course, want to be mindful (just a little play on words), always opting for the most nutritious but there are no foods that are on the no-no list.
This mindful eating involves focusing your full attention on your food. You aren’t allowed to bring a work task into your lunch break. Instead, enjoy your eating. Notice the different textures, flavors, and sensations you get from your food.
This will break the habit of mindless eating and yo-yo dieting.
3. Wear Wellness Tracking Technology
Technology is a part of every layer of our lives. It only makes sense that we would use it to improve our wellness. Fitness watches, bands, and rings have been around for a few years but they are still evolving.
Google has bought Fitbit, so it’s exciting to see what kind of information they can bring to an already popular wearable wellness tracker.
There are glasses now coming on the market that track your steps, calories burned and distance made. There are wristbands that can help you notice even your mental health. We’ll talk more about that in point 5.
Experts predict that you will be seeing many more developments in the wearable tech area.
4. Fitness Streaming Subscriptions
This trend is a no brainer, given that most of 2020 involved us staying in our homes and gyms being closed. We had no choice but to find alternative ways to exercise.
Most of us aren’t fitness experts so we look to others for a good fitness regime. Streaming our fitness classes was an answer for many and with good results.
Not only does fitness streaming subscriptions allow you to continue with a healthy exercise schedule while gyms were out of commission, but they also come with plenty of other benefits.
When you can simply turn on your tv or other devices and workout, you save yourself a lot of commute time to and from the gym. It’s also usually cheaper, depending on the service you choose.
This convenience will also increase the likelihood of sticking to it and one of the major factors of fitness is consistency.
5. Try Digital Mental Health
According to WHO, one in four people worldwide suffers from a mental health condition. Unfortunately, due to time, cost, availability, and stigma surrounding it, most of these people never get help.
This year, we will see a boom of people taking advantage of the technology that offers a solution that is not only convenient but discreet.
Apps such as Calm and Headspace have already become very popular but there are more dynamic and personalized digital products hitting the market.
There are virtual therapy apps with a monthly fee for unlimited therapy and wearable mental wellness gear that can sense when you are anxious or depressed and help you calm the feelings.
The virtual reality space is also being used to treat mental wellness, specifically PTSD. This allows individuals to expose themselves to trigger inducing virtual situations and learn to deal with them.
6. Listen to Wellness Music
Using music as medicine is a new emerging discovery. Although science has proven that music can help treat depression, anxiety, and even alleviate pain, it is still a pretty untapped therapeutic source.
We’ll see an increase in healing music in the future since the National Institute of Health has just awarded millions to the Sound Health Initiative to study the positive effects of music on the brain.
Endel is ahead of the game, however, creating an app that takes the information gathered from your phone like the weather, time of day, location, and heart rate and creates an ambient playlist that matches your biological needs.
7. Take a Wellness Sabbatical
Overworking, stress, and the lack of time to focus on healthy eating and self-care can cause health problems to creep upon us. Things like high blood pressure, depression, and weight gain are often the outcome.
To ensure that your priorities don’t become unbalanced, you need a wellness sabbatical. This idea of taking drastic measures to realign your mental, physical, and spiritual health is now an accepted move.
What used to be considered selfish and indulgent has now been recognized as a necessity. Our life/work balance can easily get off-kilter and cause us to suffer from burnout and other negative feelings.
Taking your work with you on vacation may not sound ideal but this type of escape actually encourages you to learn this type of life and integrate it into your everyday routine.
Conclusion
From the looks of it, our new wellness trends are more scientifically based and come from a more holistic approach to health and fitness.
We have many trends targeting our mental wellbeing, which is only becoming more important as the year goes on. We also see more biological and environmentally focused ideas in the mix.
All in all, these trends are encouraging for our future!