NOURISH & NURTURE

The importance of taking care of body and mind during these stressful times

Sacha van Niekerk

HEALING holidays are on the rise in 2021. | PINTEREST IF THE past year and a bit have taught us anything it is the importance of self-care. We only get one body and nurturing and nourishing it in the right way is of the utmost importance.

Health and wellness are on the rise for 2021. From small daily rituals to grand events, there is a greater focus on self-care of every kind. Spa visits, vacations, birthdays, weddings and reunions of every kind were put on hold as we moulded ourselves to best suit the circumstances surrounding 2020. At present, many people continue working from home without an off switch to end their day. In response, people are carving time out of their lives to be kind and listen to their minds and bodies.

Self-care trends to try:

Healing holidays

Stress, anxiety and uncertainty bubbled to the surface last year forcing us to rethink how we viewed the need for time away and vacations. With health and wellness already on everyone’s minds, the tourism industry has started to take note. Wellness vacations, eco-tourism and healing holidays are going to be big once more borders open up and people become comfortable with travelling again. From yoga retreats in the mountains to entire packages consisting of meditation classes and consultations with ayurvedic doctors, tourism sectors are already readying themselves for the demand for physical, spiritual and mental wellbeing packages. At the Global Wellness Summit held last year, experts predicted a boom in the demand for wellness therapies and that they may even surpass medical treatments. “Wellness has become the cool kid on the block,” said Cecelia Girr, senior Strategist at Backslash, the cultural intelligence unit.

Emphasis on skincare

Pinterest’s trend predictions report for 2021 revealed a surge in searches for all things natural when it came to skincare. Perhaps it’s because of the popularity of those Vogue Beauty Secrets videos that feature celebrities running through their daily skincare step by step or the beauty side of TikTok that’s blown up for quality tips on all things serums, sunscreen, makeup and more - but there is a serious shift in the way we view skincare and makeup than we did before. Emphasis is now being placed on healthy glowing skin rather than concealing imperfections with caked-on makeup. To lessen the appearance of wrinkles, promote blood circulation and give faces that “snatched” look, facial yoga, gua sha, crystal rollers and more are the natural remedies people are opting for in place of cosmetic surgery. Of course, a more streamlined makeup routine sporting unruly brows, gloss in place of matte lipstick, and lots of blush for that flushed youthful look should follow suit as healthy skin needs very little to look its best.

Slow living

According to the website, Think With Google, “the “slow living” trend has been growing exponentially on YouTube and is closely associated with popular themes of simple living and minimalism. Our teams dug deep into viewing habits and found a stunning 4X increase in views of videos with ‘slow living’ in the title in 2020 compared to 2019.” Living in a buzzing world that’s continuously evolving and changing can be a challenge for those who prefer to take things at their own pace. With working from home now a part of our new normal, there more room in our lives to take things slow. An ideal way to turn off the chaos, this lifestyle encourages a slower approach to aspects of everyday life. Whether that be spending less time on social media, being more mindful, spending time in the outdoors and taking up new hobbies – find an approach that works to make life feel like it is in your control and not something that just flits past.

Sleep-care

From a stronger immune system to lower stress levels, better mood and reducing the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease – it would seem that having a restful night really can improve your quality of life. As the root cause of many of our day to day qualms, people are investing more in their sleep than ever before. According to Pinterest, bedtime routines will be more luxurious than ever. From sleep yoga to matching pyjama sets and essential oil diffusers, people are incorporating greater intention into nighttime routines.