The journey to self-improvement never ends. To help you along yours, here are our top seven picks for wellness trends that will help improve your health in 2024
When you think of wellness trends, what comes to mind? Saunas? Ice baths? Each would certainly classify as a wellness trend, but neither has quite breached the public sphere outside of dedicated spaces like among pro athletes. When it comes to global wellness trends that trickle down to the local scene, however, these seven are what we consider the ones on the rise. Be among those who pick up these healthy habits by reading our list ahead.
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Eco-conscious practices
Wellness enthusiasts are not only concerned with their personal health but environmental health as well. This means putting our money where our mouths are and purchasing more from sustainable brands like Girlfriend Collective and Groove Activewear for all our athleisure and workout gear needs. Even Alo Yoga is slowly committing to sustainability as it’s recently been certified 100% sweatshop-free, eco-aware, and ethical.
The growing adherence to sustainable practices is also reflected in food choices since more people are buying plant-based options—even non-vegans. After all, choosing to eat more nutrient-dense foods like locally sourced vegetables and other organic produce is not only healthier but also equates to a lower environmental impact. Even better if you can commute as you run your errands, like riding a bike to Salcedo Community Market, for example.
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Community wellness
Wellness is not a solitary journey either, and we see more and more people realizing this through community-based events that promote social bonds on top of your mind-body connection. This can look like joining monthly mindfulness sessions hosted by Stephanie Zubiri under Soulful Feasts or going on weekend retreats to sanctuaries with SacredSpace®️ Community or Flow Retreats. It’s all up to you whether you want to join yoga workshops or group meditations, but don’t knock the trend until you try it. You may unlock something inside you along the way.
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Solo digital detoxes
If you make yourself available to everyone, where does that leave you? This line of questioning is common among digital natives burnt out from hustle culture. That’s why the 24/7 grind mindset has been firmly swapped out by a need for slow days and off-the-grid hours. Even Pinterest in its 2024 Trend Forecast noted that “solo traveling”, “slow life”, “digital detox challenge”, and “off-road camping” are on the rise among its Gen Z and Millennial users. This interest manifests in more solo trips among that demographic to wellness destinations like The Farm at San Benito or simply to locations that get you some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
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You don’t have to go very far for digital detoxes either. This can just mean reserving more mindful moments within your day for journaling in your gratitude journal, doing breathing exercises, reading for pleasure, and more. Just put down your gadgets, turn off your social media notifications, and rest your eyes for as long as you’d like to bask in some sunlight away from your home or office.
Nature walks
With off-road adventures and digital detoxes on the rise, another clear wellness trend that people are currently in love with is taking more nature walks. Following the popularity of the “hot girl walk“, nature walks are now just about focusing these strolls in nature so you can de-stress in peace away from the hustle and bustle of the city. So don’t be confused if you see more of your online mutuals and favorite content creators going on treks or hikes up a mountain for the first time this year. After all, being in the Philippines, we have the perfect environment to encourage this very practice.
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Wearable trackers
Investing your time and money in wellness practices is not just a lifestyle, but a real commitment to proactive health management. With more and more hopping onto this trend, you’ll see an increase in wearables like watches and rings becoming smarter in monitoring your health, all to create a more personalized experience for the consumer. This means devices that can accurately track your fitness, sleep, stress, heart rate, blood biomarkers, and more, which can then connect to health apps on your phone for real-time tracking and recommendations. If you’re in the market for wearables, we suggest looking to trusted brands like Garmin and Huawei.
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Racket sports
Sports like tennis have always been widely loved, but Pinterest predicts that 2024 will be the year of badminton, with searches for “Badminton racquet”, “Badminton bag”, “Badminton shoes”, “Badminton outfit”, and “Playing badminton aesthetic” increasing rapidly. This will definitely catch on in the Philippines with it already being a local favorite, especially in schools, but we also expect to see two other racket sports going mainstream this year. Namely, padel and pickleball.
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Combat sports
Another not-so-niche area getting more love this year is combat sports like kickboxing. Pinterest in its 2024 Trend Forecast further mentioned that Millennials and Gen Z have also taken to punching things more as a stress-reliver in their downtime. In particular, the combat sports that the demographic is connecting with are “Karate kumite”, “Kickboxing”, “Mixed martial arts training”, “Shadowboxing workout”, and “Jiu-jitsu.” We also noticed an uptick in this type of workout in the past few months, and only expect it to grow more popular in 2024 with its growing visibility online.
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Featured Image: ALO YOGA (via Instagram)
