9 Health And Wellness Trends To Look Out For In 2022

After the rollercoaster of the last two years, what health and wellness trends should we expect to see in 2022? We predict a revival of optimism. With looser lockdown restrictions, we’re all beginning to set foot outside our homes again. But we’re also taking lessons learned during the pandemic into the new year. With that in mind, we’re rounding up the wellness and health trends to look out for in 2022.

Wellness trends for 2022

Self-care spaces in the home

Pinterest reported a 150% increase in the popularity of the search term ‘rage room’. In short, a rage room is a safe space for people to vent out anger by means of screaming, breaking objects and essentially demolishing everything in sight.

Similarly, the search term ‘home massage room’ has seen a 190% spike and ‘tiny library room’ has been searched for 12 times more than usual. What does all this imply? A need for physical spaces dedicated to emotional release.

We can expect more people to dedicate spaces and corners of their homes that help improve their emotional well-being. An at-home sanctuary can consist of a variety of objects: from mood-boosting lamps (we like this one from Beurer) to soothing scented candles.

Tip: A spritz of Eau Dynamisante on your body or even just around you will instantly make your space smell like a spa. That’s thanks to the lemon, patchouli, petitgrain and ginseng essential oils it contains.

Sound baths

Sounds can have a significant impact on our emotional and mental health. Sound healing is the practice of using sounds to establish a sense of calm — a phenomenon that has existed for thousands of years, but has picked up popularity again in 2022.

A typical sound therapy treatment would involve a sound therapist guiding you through a meditation using various instruments like gongs and singing bowls. As the sounds wash over you, they help calm you down.

Interested in delving deeper? Read: Sound Healing Instruments To Own At Home

Mindful walking

Many of us got in the habit of going on long walks during the lockdown period. Chances are, we will continue to do so in 2022. This is because walking has so many benefits, including improving cardiovascular fitness, strengthening the immune system and reducing stress. So although most of our daily activities are now conducted virtually, people are keen to spend dedicated time going on long walks.

A hashtag titled ‘hot girl walk’ has been trending on TikTok since 2020. The trend creator, a TikTok user named Mia, described it as “a four mile outdoor mindfulness walk.” The idea is to go on frequent hour-long walks to ponder your hopes and dreams, and everything you’re grateful for. And something about just how accessible it is as a fitness trend has led to its ever-growing popularity. The hashtag has 74.3 million views so far.

Traditional recipes

This year could also see a return to simpler, more traditional recipes despite the popularity of new diets and experimental foods. Perhaps all the pandemic-induced stress has led to a craving for comfort food. According to Pinterest’s trend prediction report for 2022, search terms like ‘Norwegian recipes traditional’ and ‘South African recipes traditional’ have seen a significant rise: 120% and 150% respectively.

Apps for mental well being

Phones have always had a bad rap about their effects on mental health. And yet, most of us struggle to detach ourselves from them. However, there has been a surge of phone apps that could help you make better use of your screen time.

Apps like Mindler, Self Space, Mind Labs and Augmentive offer access to qualified therapists and mental health experts, without any long waiting lists involved.

Eco-friendly workout gear

Unsurprisingly, making sustainable choices will continue to remain a priority for most people in 2022 — even concerning fitness. Looking for eco-friendly gear to workout in? Eco-conscious brands like Wolven (we love their leggings) and TALA have loads to offer.

Health trends for 2022

Microbiome diets

In recent months, there has been a significant surge in Google searches for ‘gut health’, and Mintel predicts that microbiota-based diets will grow in popularity in 2022.

Your gut microbiome is essentially a diverse collection of microorganisms present in your intestines. Studies suggest that having a diverse range of good gut flora could help improve one’s health. A microbiome diet is typically conducted in three phases to repair the gut lining and maintain optimal gut health.

In addition, we can also expect to see more probiotics, prebiotic fibres and fermented foods in the market.

Work(out)-from-home

Most gyms are open for business now, but after all these months of doing mini-workouts from the comfort of our homes, we’ll likely hold on to the habit.

Rather than allotting big chunks of time regularly to go to the gym, most people will try to squeeze in micro-workouts throughout the day, or alternate between gym days and home fitness days. For the latter, we love the Bala Power Ring: a cross between a dumbbell and kettlebell that can be used for strength training, HIIT and aerobics.

Immunity boosting drinks

Over the last year, there has been a significant increase in Google searches for ‘boost immune system’, ‘strengthen immune system’ and other similar terms. It’s only natural for most people to be thinking about strengthening their immune systems while we’re still navigating our way out of a global pandemic.

Mintel predicts that this will have an impact on the drinks industry, with a surge of juice and tea brands concocting drinks containing high levels of vitamin C.

To learn about the skincare trends dominating 2022, read: 11 Skincare Trends For 2022, According To The Experts.