Are you curious about what’s set to take off in 2022?

We consulted health care and fitness experts, digital analysts, market research groups, and wellness gurus for this year’s guide. They collectively agree the trends we’ve experienced the last two years will continue.

Last year, pursuing emotional and mental wellbeing jumped up on pretty much everyone’s list of priorities. That trend will continue while people seek the support they need through digital and virtual spaces.

Here’s what the professionals say are the trends in health and wellness for 2022.

1. Mental Wellness

In a recent survey, 82% of Americans say that their mental and physical health are equally important. This same group also agreed that the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental wellbeing. ⁽¹⁾

We are collectively becoming more focused on our mental health because we recognize that we’re all “not okay,” struggling with anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Pursuing mental health and reaching out for support has become much more acceptable and relatable. If you’ve been struggling with mental health, it’s okay to ask for and seek help.

2. Virtual Fitness

New studios are popping up, offering everything from remote yoga to spin classes. Virtual fitness provides community engagement with real-time instruction. And the best part, they’re affordable and convenient. 

3. Next-Generation Tracking Wearables

Next-generation wearable devices continue to fuel better health habits through data and insights. Devices like the Apple Watch builds on its impressive set of health tools with a blood oxygen sensor.

The Oura ring is a futuristic tracker that offers key health metrics like heart rate, body temp, and sleep quality to determine your readiness score. 

4. Exercise Made Fun

Finding something you look forward to regularly doing that doesn’t feel like exercise is a great motivator. Getting fit and dropping a few pounds are the cherries on top.

Hula hoops, ballroom dance, trapeze classes, and belly dancing are some of the fun workouts to watch for this year. Other fun workout classes to rope a friend into include pole fitness and paddleboard yoga.

5. Meditation Mindfulness Apps

Women and men in every age group are turning to meditation mindfulness apps to help achieve a more relaxed state of being. Chances are, if you’ve got a smartphone, you have a meditation mindfulness app already installed.

Apps such as Meditation Studio and Buddhify provide short meditations guided by experienced professionals. The topics range from compassion and gratitude to stress relief and clarity. You choose what you need at the moment. 

Calm and Headspace combined guided meditations with relaxing sounds like falling rain, crickets, and celestial white noise with imagery to help you destress and get to sleep.

Breethe offers tips for overcoming anxiety and living with intention and inner peace.

6. Alternative Meat / Plant-Based Eating

Two trendy new terms you’ll be hearing more and more often are flexitarian and reducetarian.

Put flexible and vegetarian together, and you get a flexitarian. Reducetarians are dedicated to eating fewer animal products to secure a more sustainable, compassionate world.

What they both have in common is obvious; eating fewer foods that come from animals without swearing off animal products altogether.

Nearly 39% of Americans have collectively drifted towards plant-based eating in the last year. ⁽²⁾ This group diligently looks for alternatives to animals whenever available.

As a result, the market for alternative meat and plant-based foods is booming, which is fantastic for everyone on the plant-based eating spectrum. As the trend becomes more and more popular, it will become increasingly easy to find tasty alternatives to beef, chicken, and cheese.

7. Digital Healthcare 

In the past few years, you’ve probably struggled to get an appointment with a specialist or groaned at the wait to see your GP. But in the future, getting face time with your doctor may be easier because it will happen virtually.

Meeting online works great for treating the cold and flu, minor bacterial infections, and mental health issues. Virtual visits make more sense for managing chronic conditions and getting prescriptions filled. Just like an in-person appointment, your health insurance will cover your virtual visit.

Virtual sessions aren’t limited to doctors. You can now book a virtual session with physical therapists, psychiatrists, sleep specialists, personal trainers, nutritionists, mental health professionals, and coaches. 

8. Adaptogens

The newest addition to the superfood space is adaptogens. Best known for their stress-busting properties, adaptogens like Rhodiola and Ashwagandha support immunity, improve resistance to stress’s physical and emotional effects, and promote a greater sense of calm and vitality. ⁽³⁾ As stress continues to be a significant concern in 2022, adaptogens will become more well-known and more widely used.

The most researched adaptogens are functional mushrooms, specifically Lion’s Mane, Maitake, Chaga, and Reishi. Studies show functional mushrooms help regulate your adrenal glands’ function, which produces the primary stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Beyond a greater sense of calm, using functional mushrooms daily may boost your mental clarity and energy.

Functional mushroom blends are becoming more and more popular for their ability to increase resiliency to anxiety, among other health benefits. Stonehenge Health’s Dynamic Mushrooms is an expertly crafted blend of Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Maitake, and Shiitake mushrooms.

Use Dynamic Mushrooms as part of an overall healthy lifestyle to boost your ability to adapt to physical and mental stressors, as well as support your brain and immune system health.

Sources:
1. While Americans view their mental and physical health as equally important, they don’t think the healthcare system does | ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/while-americans-view-their-mental-and-physical-health-equally-important-they-dont-think-healthcare
2. Vegan and Plant-Based Diet Statistics for 2022 | plantproteins.co/vegan-plant-based-diet-statistics/
3. Adaptogens – Whole Health Library | va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/tools/adaptogens.asp
4. The Future Of Health: Three Healthcare Trends For 2022 | forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/12/14/the-future-of-health-three-healthcare-trends-for-2022/
5. Mindfulness Meditation Apps Market Share, Forecast | Industry Report, 2027 | polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/mindfulness-meditation-apps-market
6. The 4 Biggest Health Care Trends of 2022 and How They Impact America’s Employers | Cigna Newsroom | newsroom.cigna.com/4-biggest-health-care-trends-2022-impact-on-employers