Experts identify 10 wellness trends: from a new soil-focused and survivalist wellness—to the men’s body image crisis and women’s health research gap finally getting addressed—to the rise of the wellness metaverse, certified wellness coaches, urban wellness playgrounds, and healthier senior living models.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) released its annual wellness trends report, the new directions in wellness that the organization believes will have the most meaningful impact on the industry and people worldwide. The 110-page report goes in-depth on the major shifts ahead in nutrition, wellness travel, wellness real estate, women’s health, men’s wellness, healthcare, technology, sustainability and spas. The trends were unveiled today at the first Global Wellness News™ media event in New York City.
“If it’s always daunting to predict trends in the fast-moving wellness space, it’s especially so two years into a pandemic where the long-promised ‘post-pandemic world’ is becoming visible but is repeatedly delayed,” said Susie Ellis, GWS chair and CEO. “One thing that this forecast makes clear is that the future of wellness will be anything but a ‘restart’ of 2019. What consumers now need most, what they perceive as ‘true wellness,’ has profoundly changed.”
A few themes emerge in the trends report. With new awareness of the radical fragility of life and the planet, a “survivalist wellness” is emerging: More people are seeking resilience and self-reliance (see: “Next-Gen Naturalism”) and they’re now keenly aware that their own wellbeing is inextricable from the planet’s (see: “Dirty Wellness,” on how restoring the world’s soil and our connection to it become a major focus).
Another theme is tackling the glaring gaps, missing links, and underserved populations in both healthcare and wellness: from male body issues finally getting the attention that women’s have to innovative technology closing the women’s health research gap to “senior living” getting a dramatic rethink to the rise of professional wellness coaches dedicated to solving that great unsolved issue in both healthcare and wellness: motivating behavior change.
With the pandemic further subsuming us in a digital world, the future of wellness and technology is complex: The metaverse will plunge us into evermore immersive health and wellness experiences while a new “technological wellness” will have us interrogating our relationship to tech as never before. As always, the report covers the cool, new experiences rising in wellness: from pandemic-weary cities being reimagined as accessible “wellness playgrounds” to destinations answering the call of a new purpose-seeking wellness traveler, with experiences that help them grow intellectually, spiritually and creatively.
This is the only wellness forecast based on the insights of hundreds of global executives of wellness companies, economists, doctors, investors, academics, and technologists that gather each year at the GWS. The authors—top journalists, analysts and wellness experts—bring each trend to life with examples of the innovators and companies that are pioneering each concept.
10 WELLNESS TRENDS FOR 2022:
Dirt-y Wellness: The health of the world’s soil—and the impact of soil exposure on human health–become far more important (Think: “soil-bathing”)
Toxic Muscularity Comes Clean: How bulging biceps and rippling abs have had a negative ripple effect on male body image
From Wellness Tech to Technological Wellness: A fresh take on digital health
Senior Living Disrupted: A wrinkle in time no more!
Wellness Travel: Seekers, Welcome: Post-pandemic travelers are ready for adventure and engagement
Innovative Tech Closing the Gender Gap in Medical Research: Artificial Intelligence, apps, and wearables collect data for a wide range of women’s health conditions
Urban Bathhouses & Wellness Playgrounds: Affordable wellness is coming to a city near you
Next-Gen Naturalism: The return of self-reliance
Health & Wellness Coaching Gets Certified: Coaches trained in the art and science of motivating healthy changes have been the missing link in both healthcare and wellness
Wellness Welcomes the Metaverse: Health & wellness are attractive to the Metaverse which needs to diversify beyond gaming
To build a Wellness Metaverse, there will be unprecedented new synergies between the technology, wellness and health industries. Wellness sectors, including fitness, beauty, healthy eating, mental wellness, wellness tourism, wellness real estate, spas and workplace wellness are introducing new technologies and virtual worlds that deliver a far more immersive experience and radically transform how wellness is delivered to global consumers. And the entire world is paying attention.
Fortune 500 companies are unveiling creative, disruptive new products and services that can improve people’s health and lives. The coming metaverse will move beyond gaming and health and wellbeing will be at the center—it will prove one of its meaningful bright spots. And it’s a bright future where the wellness industry can play a leadership role.
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About the Global Wellness Summit —The Global Wellness Summit is the premier organization that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $4.4 trillion global wellness economy. Its future-focused conference is held at a different global location each year and has traveled to the United States, Switzerland, Turkey, Bali, India, Morocco, Mexico, Austria, Italy and Singapore. GWS also hosts regular virtual gatherings, including Wellness Master Classes, Wellness Sector Spotlights and Investor “Reverse Pitch” events. The organization’s annual Global Wellness Trends Report offers expert-based predictions on the future of wellness. The 2022 Summit will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel from October 30–November 2.
