GLOBAL WELLNESS TRENDS

SACHA VAN NIEKERK

SELF-CARE is always in fashion, but these wellness trends for 2022 are all about mindfulness, manifestation and living clean.

Emotional escape rooms

Yoga and meditation are ancient art and disciplines that originated more than 3 000 years ago.

By practising them, you can reconnect with your body. Through meditation, one learns how to focus, think more clearly and become less reactive. As you gain awareness of the impact of your actions, you are more likely to refine your choices. This means you do not act out of compulsion but out of choice.

Emotional escape rooms are growing in popularity as a means to achieve this inner peace while many people continue working from home. Having a quiet spot with a soft, cosy rug, floor pillows, a yoga mat, natural lighting is the perfect indoor escape. The space remains a sacred spot dedicated to the practice of mindfulness.

An alcohol-free year

According to Business Insider: “Millennials and Gen ZERS have been consuming less than elder generations in recent years. Research also suggests that more Millennials participate in Dry January (July) in larger numbers than their elder counterparts.”

There are plenty of benefits involved as outlined by Harvard Health Publishing: “Regular drinkers who abstained from alcohol for 30 days, slept better, had more energy, and lost weight, according to a study in BMJ Open. They lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol levels and reduced cancer-related proteins in their blood.”

Luxurious baths

Self-care routines are no longer about simply getting the job done; they are about turning ordinary events into an experience. So when it comes to baths, hopping in and out just won’t do it anymore. People are looking to transform this mundane activity into a luxurious escape to ease stress and treat themselves.

Scented candles, bath bombs, lavender and salt tea bags, face masks and spa music are part of the vibe. In 2022, we are realising more and more that these luxurious escapes can take place in the comfort of our homes, so why not sink blissfully into a tub to soak away all your worries?

SELF-CARE is always in fashion, but these wellness trends for 2022 are all about mindfulness, manifestation and living clean. | MADISON INOUYE Pexels

Tracking our stress levels

Using smart watches or old fashioned journalling to lean into our mental mindsets to pick up on early signs of being overwhelmed or stressed is a significant self-care trend for the year. From being able to monitor calorie intake, sleep patterns, heart rate, and more, smart watches help us keep a closer eye on our physical health and, in turn, even our mental health. If you prefer to go for low-tech, journalling is also on the increase as far as mindfulness trends go.

Writing down positive affirmations, goals, things you are grateful for, and letting go of some of the more challenging parts of

life by putting pen to paper can be as cathartic as actually speaking the words out loud. The Intermountain Healthcare website details how journalling helps keep our brains in shape. “Not only does it boost memory and comprehension, but it also increases working memory capacity, which may reflect improved cognitive processing,” they said.

Manifestation and mindfulness

The concept that your thoughts can influence your reality is known as “manifesting”. Lately, this mindfulness practice has received a lot of attention on TikTok so it is no surprise that it has been grabbing the public’s attention during such a challenging period.

Social media users, celebrities and everyone in between swear that this continuous process of creation can help people build their dream lives. According to Insider: “Manifestation is the idea that you can turn desires and beliefs into reality through a mixture of writing, praying or affirmations.” There is even research that suggests this form of positive thinking can lead to concrete results.