10 Health and Wellness Trends to Try in 2024
From plunging into cold water to exploring the benefits of facial yoga, these self-care routines will take your well-being to new heights.
The wellness sector is set to boom in 2024 as more people continue to prioritize health and wellness in their lives in the aftermath of the pandemic. Several new and helpful ways to take care of yourself are getting a lot of attention on social media, while other things that have caught people's attention are becoming important ongoing habits.
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A recent report from American Spa says that more spas, gyms, and fitness studios are now using holistic methods to improve overall health. Instead of just focusing on losing weight and building muscle, they are making mindful experiences that put mental needs first. Here are 10 emerging health wellness trends to explore.
- Cold Water Therapy
Long used by athletes to treat muscle soreness and promote faster recovery, cold water therapy is now being used by many people in their daily lives, whether it's taking cold showers or going for a dip in chilly swimming spots.
Immersion in cold water has been shown in many studies to reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, and help people feel better when they are depressed. Spas are now following the trend and using cool temperatures during massages and facials to help tighten the skin.
2. Marvelous Mushrooms
Fungi are having a moment. A rich source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants, most mushrooms contain adaptogens, which can help your body respond to stress and fatigue. The four most common medicinal mushroom varieties are lion’s mane, chaga, cordyceps, and reishi. Find them in powders, capsules, and drinks.
3. Micro Workouts
Finding the time to exercise is often more difficult than the workout itself. Make achieving health goals easier by sprinkling micro workouts into your daily routine. Aiming for 15 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity exercise twice a day, five times per week has been shown to be extremely beneficial to our physical and mental health.
That could mean going for a brisk walk during your lunch break, doing a quick cardio circuit, or even vacuuming your home. A little can go a long way. If you do two 15-minute workouts every day, that adds up to 150 minutes of exercise per week, which is the amount recommended by the World Health Organization.
4. Plant Power
Whether it’s plant-based food and beverages or cruelty-free cosmetics and fashion, sustainable and certified vegan products are on the rise. A survey published by the Vegan Society earlier this month noted that more than half of consumers in America want to see more vegan-verified labels on beauty products.
5. Sleep Syncing
The increasingly popular trend of sleep syncing involves adjusting your sleep cycle and tuning it with your circadian rhythm, the natural internal process that regulates your sleep-wake cycle, repeating every 24 hours. Setting a sleep schedule helps your body understand it’s time for sleep, resulting in better quality rest.
Parents know just how vital a regular bedtime routine is for a child, and it’s equally important for adults. The key to sleep syncing is creating a regular sleep routine and sticking to it. That means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Yes, that includes weekends.
6. Wellness Travel
After three years of various pandemic-related restrictions, travel is back. Vacations rooted in relaxation, self-improvement, and well-being are one of the travel industry’s fastest-growing segments. From yoga retreats in India to meditation workshops in Mexico, the world is your oyster, and a better you is just around the corner.
7. Mindful Drinking
With hashtags like #sobercurious and #damplifestyle gaining traction on social media, enjoying alcohol in moderation is no longer stigmatized. It’s popularized. With many bars and restaurants offering elevated alcohol-free cocktails, forgoing booze has never been more delicious.
Benefits of ditching or downplaying alcohol in your life include improved sleep and recovery, a mood boost, and stronger decision making when it comes to nutrition. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines on reducing alcohol consumption, recommending that adult men over the legal drinking age limit should have only two drinks or less a day, and women should have one drink or less per day.
8 Mini Meditation
Want to meditate but don’t have an hour to spare? Meditation is all about quieting the mind, and there’s not actually any time requirement. A mini meditation can be accomplished in about one minute. At various moments in the day, try to take 60 seconds to stop, focus on your breathing, and center yourself. Every little bit helps.
9 Assisted Stretching
Since touching our toes and reaching for the sun in kindergarten, stretching has been a vital part of getting physical in our lives. Now, assisted stretching is taking the act a step further with trained practitioners who can push your body in ways it’s unable to when you stretch on your own. Assisted stretching has been shown to reduce stress, increase flexibility, and decrease stiffness.
10 Facial Yoga
Yoga for the face is indeed a thing, and it’s not merely fun to watch on TikTok. The practice utilizes massage techniques and facial movements, such as opening your mouth as wide as possible, raising your eyebrows, and blowing raspberries, to exercise the muscles in your face, which can make it appear firmer.
Facial yoga has actually been around for years. (Annelise Hagen, a New York yoga instructor, held the first facial yoga workshop back in 2005.) Still, thanks to recently launched face yoga apps and numerous tutorials on social media, facial yoga is finally going mainstream.
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Zara Eldridge is a London-based writer and producer who has contributed to The Associated Press.
