‘Wellness’ is a word synonymous with a somewhat vague, often hazy, range of health concerns. Sometimes taken to mean the broadest spectrum of physical health, at other times understood to refer only to mental wellbeing, wellness can be applied to pretty much any practice intended to improve mind, body and soul.
Due to this lack of clarity, a whole host of trends based around ‘wellness’ have emerged in recent years; some that have stood the test of time and proved to be effective, and others have been debunked and disappeared. We’re considering the former today; here are the wellness trends that you should be following in 2022.
Wellbeing Supplements
Supplements used to focus primarily on nutritional deficiencies, with Vitamins C and D, calcium, protein and omega-3 fatty acids some of the most popularly taken. But in recent times, a shift has occurred, with interest rising in the world of wellbeing supplements, taken with the goal of maintaining mood, boosting energy and reducing stress.
Since CBD was legalised in the UK back in 2018 – with the proviso that its THC content is under 0.2% and that it’s sold as a food supplement, not a medicine – it has become increasingly popular, with many using the chemical compound as a natural remedy for a whole host of ailments.
Whilst a scientific consensus has not yet been reached on its efficacy, some preliminary studies have suggested that CBD might help fight inflammation, reduce anxiety, and tackle insomnia.
CBD isn’t the only wellbeing supplement with increased proliferance here in the UK. Other popular items taken with the goal of facilitating improved wellness include 5-Htp, Ashwagandha, some types of dried mushroom, and even probiotics, with links suggested between gut health and mental health.
Wearable Wellness Tech
Whereas wearable technology was once entirely focused on fitness and exercise, now the capabilities of wearable technology have expanded to include wellness, with many wearable health trackers now monitoring your blood pressure, your heart rate, and even your sleep cycle.
But that’s not all; wearable tech has now shifted from physical health to the realm of wellness, offering reminders to meditate, breathe more deeply, slow down and stand up, even monitoring the way you sleep, type or speak to uncover depression or other mental health issues.
Some wearable technology is now much lighter and slimmer than it used to be, ensuring that it does not get in the way of your ability to easily carry out everyday tasks and that it doesn’t become uncomfortable.
Mindful Eating
In our always on, always on-the-move society, many people are in a rush to eat and have forgotten to savour their meals and the food that they consume. The practice of mindful eating rethinks the way that you eat, ensuring that you stay present while you are chewing your favourite foods and making sure that you listen to your body when it comes to what you eat and when.
This can then help you to look forward to meals again and can be a great way to stay healthy while eating what you would like, rather than going on crash diets and restricting your food intake for temporary results.
Read: 5 IDEAL steps to eating more mindfully
Closed Loop Meditation
Although meditation has been a popular way to improve your wellness for millennia, there are many more ways to engage in meditation than ever before. These include attending virtual meditation and mindfulness groups, reading online guides and watching digital tutorials to get you started, and even downloading meditation apps that can help you to perform quick, five-minute meditations every day before you head to work.
One of the latest trends to emerge in the world of mindfulness is ‘closed loop’ meditation; essentially, a form of meditation that gives instant feedback to the individual on their breathing, heart rate and more, all with the goal of having more meaningful, productive meditation sessions.
Personally, we think that the idea of metric-based improvement when meditating might be kinda distracting and defeating of the point of practice, but there you go…
If you are looking for ways to digitise your meditation experience, check out these 5 of the best meditation apps for 2022.