As we head toward warmer weather, wellness trends are popping up everywhere to encourage people to take care of their health – both mental and physical.
For brands in the wellness space, these trends are essential to understanding how to reach customers and connect with them. Customers who are enthusiastic about wellness are at the forefront of these trends, and they can trickle into fashion, food and beverage, and more.
At Code3, we believe that staying on top of trends in your own industry and beyond is essential for our brands. These trends are funky, fun, and community-oriented. Check them out and contact us to talk about how we can use them to boost your brand.
8 Wellness Trends to Watch This Year
This year, wellness trends are all about natural remedies, whole-body health, and nurturing the connection between mind and body. Here are the top 8 wellness trends we think brands should consider in their marketing.
The Gut/Brain Connection
With 77% of Americans reporting that stress affects their physical health, there's been a particular focus on gut health and the effects stress can have on the digestive system. Influencers on TikTok are encouraging openness about gut health, and showing a willingness to talk about gut-based health disorders like IBS. Health professionals acknowledge that anxiety and depression can have effects on gut health and vice versa, and recommend co-treating them when the issues arise together. Acknowledging this connection is great for holistic wellness and of course, great for us. It’s empowering for people to be able to see how their body is interconnected, and see others talking about it, too.Mushrooms
One of the breakout stars in wellness in 2023 is…mushrooms? Plenty of influencers (and the Duchess of Sussex) are shouting out the benefits of mushrooms for medicinal and nutritional purposes. With over 14,000 species of mushrooms worldwide, people are exploring the benefits and value of these fungi. Mushroom stacking, the practice of pairing certain mushrooms with complementary adaptogens and antioxidants, is also growing in popularity.
Micro-workouts
Micro-workouts, or incidental exercise, is the practice of breaking up an exercise routine into little pieces or doing a series of smaller workouts. These routines only last a few minutes and are a part of the idea of fitting exercise into an otherwise busy schedule, or keeping active when you're stuck at a desk all day. Doing squats while waiting for your food to heat up, getting some crunches in before a meeting, or taking a few minutes to run up and down your stairs a couple of times, are all types of micro-workouts. These workouts can have substantial benefits, and doing them daily can yield heart-healthy results.
Stretching and Stretch Labs
Stretching feels amazing – that is an undeniable fact. Many healthcare professionals have long encouraged stretching before bed or when you wake up or both. Stretching has incredible health benefits that can help keep your muscles strong and flexible, prevent injuries and promote blood flow. With whole YouTube channels and TikTok accounts devoted to stretching, it makes sense that stretch labs are popping up all over the place, too. These places offer assisted stretching by professionals to target the right areas and get the most out of stretching.
Midday Meditation
Apps like Calm and Headspace provide the opportunity for mini meditations. For the average person, a lunch break can feel like a rush to eat and then get back to work instead of an actual break. Instead, wellness influencers are encouraging people to use any downtime available for mini-meditations. These meditations can help you get out of the "rat race" mindset, reset your day, and improve your mood.
Immunity-boosting Natural Ingredients
Everything from turmeric to taro to matcha is on the menu in 2023. Ingredients like the above and more are used to promote immune health and gut health (which also can affect the immune system). Boosting immunity naturally has led to more products like teas and vitamins, and an online community for sharing ideas for recipes and ways to incorporate these ingredients into your life.
Sleep Syncing and Apps
43% of Gen Z plans to spend money on sleep support this year. Whether it's dye-free melatonin or sleep apps like SleepScore, sleep tech is a way for people to understand how sleep works, and how to do it better. With books like Why We Sleep and influencers talking about their sleep hacks, it’s no surprise that the importance of sleep has become one of the most talked about topics in the wellness space.
Walks
Sounds too simple to be a trend, right? From hot girl walks to unplugged walks to just plain dog walks, the idea of going for a walk is making a comeback. Walks are an effective exercise and are now being promoted as a way to support mental health too. They’re filtering into workplace wellness initiatives, with companies and communities encouraging people to just get out more and walk.
These wellness trends aren’t just for wellness-TikTok or people seeking medical advice. Wellness filters into how we live our lives and the choices we make. They can be an invaluable resource for understanding consumer behavior. To talk more about why wellness matters or the trends in your brand’s industry, reach out to set up a time to talk.
In the meantime, enjoy your turmeric, mushroom platters, and mini workouts. Oh, and don’t forget to stretch.