7 Wellness Trends to Watch in 2022

Not long ago, the world was turned upside down, forcing us all to restructure our lives and reevaluate what it means to be “well.” And if there’s one thing we learned, it’s that the definition of wellness is changing. It can no longer be defined by physical fitness alone. In fact, over three-quarters of Americans think that being physically active helps their mental health.

As part of our annual Mindbody Wellness Index, one of the industry’s most comprehensive studies, we surveyed over 16,000 Americans to see how this shift will take shape in the coming year.

From immune health and intellectual wellness, to mental and sexual wellness, to facial exercises, music, and pets, here’s what you can expect—across all dimensions of wellness—in 2022.

From the inside out: increased interest in immune health

It’s no surprise the global pandemic sparked an increased interest in immune health. One out of three global consumers reported they were more concerned about immune health than before the pandemic started. This trend will continue in 2022, as over half (55%) of the US population is focused on their health and wellness because they want to strengthen their immune system to withstand illness and disease. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of people report that they’re more focused on health and wellness because they want to live a long and healthy life.

One in five Americans has tried new services or treatments that support immune health, but another 46% are interested in trying those services moving forward—women being more interested than men. Services that Americans have used more this year compared to last year include red light therapy, IV therapy (vitamin drip), and detox programs. Other immune health services Americans are exploring include injection therapy (such as B12 shots), infrared saunas, and salt therapies. 

If you’re looking to explore these services in their usual places, Alcheme Health focuses on whole-being medical services that cater to those looking to optimize their health and address the root cause of disease. Upgrade Labs uses biohacking to make clients’ bodies function better and more efficiently at the cellular level.

Intellectual wellness: your biggest asset

Today, the definition of wellness means more than just staying physically fit—Americans are increasingly focused on intellectual wellness.

The evolving definition of wellness is bringing more attention to the importance of intellectual wellbeing as part of a holistic routine. More than a quarter of Americans ranked intellectual wellness within the top three most important dimensions of wellness. Almost half of them reported that intelligence inspires confidence. To engage in this dimension of wellness, 50% of Americans say they spend time on creativity and stimulating activities.

Intellectual wellness encourages one to explore new concepts, enhance skills, and challenge the mind through continuous learning. Fun ways to exercise this dimension of wellness include mentally stimulating activities such as pottery (check out Fire and Mud Studios), taking a class to learn a new instrument, and painting (through classes such as Ongoing Painting Fundamentals). For kiddos, Outside the Box provides multi-sensory stimulation to enhance brain development.

Mental wellness is top priority

Mental health was ranked the most important dimension of wellness by the greatest number of Americans. Half of America (49%) agreed that the pandemic has negatively affected their mental wellbeing—with women more likely to feel this than men. The pandemic appears to have had a more significant impact on Gen Z and millennials than older generations—as 57% of Gen Z and 53% of millennials reported the pandemic negatively affected their mental health versus 37% of younger boomers. Almost half of Americans (43%) said they are focused on their health and wellbeing because they want to reduce stress. Millennials are the most stressed generational group while younger boomers are the least stressed.

But how can fitness, beauty and integrative health services support mental wellness? The leading reason that consumers exercise is to feel better mentally (43% reported this). Over three quarters of Americans believe being physically active helps their mental health. In the past year, 37% of Americans have incorporated physical fitness into their routine to help support their mental wellbeing while 14% have added yoga and 9% have added wellness treatments like acupuncture to their routines. Over half of all Americans (and 61% of women) said they feel more confident when they get regular beauty treatments—in fact, 19% of Americans book beauty and grooming services to boost their self-confidence.

Read Full Article Here (Source of the Article: MindBody)