The global wellness market has grown 12.8 per cent in the last two years, transforming it into a £3.2 trillion (a lot of Rands basically) industry, and it’s not hard to see why.
In 2018, a UK-wide stress survey conducted by the Mental Health Foundation revealed that 74 per cent of adults felt so stressed they felt “overwhelmed” or “unable to cope”.
“Individually we need to understand what is causing us personal stress and learn what steps we can take to reduce it for ourselves and those around us,” said Isabella Goldie, director of the Mental Health Foundation.
It makes sense then, that more of us are searching for new ways to improve our mental and physical wellbeing.
From brain-boosting nutrition and CBD to digital detoxes, the world of wellness is showing no signs of slowing when it comes to new innovations, making 2019 the year of #selfcare – a hashtag that’s clocked up more than 13m posts on Instagram.
With that in mind, here’s our round up the top 10 wellbeing trends of 2019 so far;
CBD (Cannabidiol)
Products containing CBD, otherwise known as cannabidiol, has become increasingly sought after in the UK in recent times.
CBD is an all-natural compound found in the marijuana plant.
In contrast to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another compound in the plant which is psychoactive, CBD does not have the same effect.
On the other hand, CBD is not psychoactive and has become renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties.
The compound has become a popular ingredient in beauty products, with some studies claiming it can reduce symptoms of acne.
Veganism
While veganism has continued to increase in popularity over the past few years, in 2019 several big brands have appealed to their vegan customer base with new plant-based releases.
One of the most significant launches of the year came in January, when high street bakery Greggs announced it had launched a vegan sausage roll just in time for Veganuary.
The vegan sausage roll is made using vegetable oil and a “bespoke Quorn filling” to mimic the popular meaty variety.
Januhairy
While January marked the beginning of Veganuary, it also marked the start of another social movement: the newly created Januhairy.
Conceived by 21-year-old university student Laura Jackson, the aim of the movement is to encourage women not to feel ashamed of their natural body hair by pledging to grow it out for a month.
The primary aim of the campaign was to raise money for a body positive project called Body Gossip.
“This isn’t an angry campaign for people who don’t see how normal body hair is, but more an empowering project for everyone to understand more about their views on themselves and others,” Jackson told The Independent.
Rowing classes
Over the past year or so, indoor rowing classes have been gaining traction.
The workout has gradually been making its way into the mainstream, with fitness studios including Metabolic London, the Engine Room and Frame leading the way with the trend.
“Our rowing clubs have highly motivated instructors, great facilities and equipment to deliver this type of activity, and currently it’s not being fully utilised across the country,” said Helen Rowbotham, director of innovation at British Rowing.
Cutting down on social media
After a number of studies revealed that spending too much time on your phone is bad for your focus and mental health, people have been trying to find ways to build better digital habits.
In an attempt to decrease social media usage and become more aware of the way we consume content, more and more individuals are turning to usage monitoring technology provided by Apple, Facebook and apps like Quality Time.
From taking regular detoxes and turning off notifications to kicking your phone out of bed at night, you can find more tips on how to overcome mobile phone addiction here.
Personalised Nutrition
It seems that 2019 is the time for mindful eating with searches for the term ‘nutrition plans” up 475 per cent.
But, it’s not enough to just prepare a week’s worth of lunches anymore. In the age of the Fitbit and Apple Watch, personalised nutrition that caters a person’s diet based on their DNA has been hailed as the next big trend.
It’s something UK food and drink businesses are already dabbling in, In October 2018, Waitrose revealed it would be participating in a trial with DNA Nudge, using genetics to nudge shoppers into tailored behaviour, while startups such as DNA Fit say they’re speaking to a number of manufacturers.
-Independent