11 Wellness Trends We’re Excited to See Grow in 2022

11 Wellness Trends We’re Excited to See Grow in 2022

7 minute read

Even in the middle of a global pandemic, the new year is ripe with possibility. For one thing, WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu is optimistic that we can defeat the Covid pandemic this year, and he should know. You may not be working on how to vaccinate the world, but we’re sure that there will be something to look forward to, whether it’s a return to office gossip and pub lunches, a holiday, or a more personal goal. To that end, we’ve rounded up 11 trends we’re excited to see blossom in 2022. You’ll find each one outlined below, with our tips for how you can join in.


1. Create a calm commute

As the work-from-home crowd is encouraged back into the office in 2022 we can expect the busy, stressful, crowded commute to come back, too – something no one has missed. To help keep your cool and ease the transition into work or from work to home life, travel brands are teaming up with mindfulness and meditation experts to offer their own mini-meditations and relaxing commute-length mood experiences. Driving app Waze has joined forces with meditation app Headspace to create in-car mood experiences which include a new voice for your satnav, curated playlists and more. UK train operator Avanti West Coast has partnered with wellbeing app Clementine to offer free hypnotherapy sessions as they ride.


2. Easy to swallow: immunity boosting drinks

At SuperSelf, we’ve been building immunity supporting nutrients into our daily routines for years, and offering these same products to our customers. As the global pandemic grinds on, we expect more major brands to jump on the bandwagon by offering immunity-in-a-glass enriched drinks and smoothies. As an evidence-backed supplement business, we know that there are many drinks which can definitely support your health goals – and others that certainly won’t! We encourage all our readers to do their research before diving in.


3. More blue in your diet

Unlike other ‘lifestyle changes’ the Blue Zone diet explicitly doesn’t involve calorie counting, label reading or eliminating a food group. Based on research into longevity, the Blue Zone diet is largely plant based, with a focus on fresh, local produce, making it a great match for anyone who is both sustainability conscious and health aware. Blue Zones are small areas where people consistently live longer than average with many residents being over 100 years old. Scattered around the world, these diverse areas nonetheless have several things in common including caring for their local environment, a strong community, and how they eat.


4. Green washing

As the climate crisis hits the news again and again, it’s no surprise that even big brands are starting to come on board and are looking for ways to advertise their newly green credentials. In 2022, we expect to see the beauty sector making big strides as new labelling schemes are underway to make it easy to see which products are recycled or recyclable and which are sustainably produced. While some might worry that this amounts to little more than green washing, switching to an even slightly more sustainable product sends a message to the brand that they really can’t ignore.


5. Precious metals for perfect skin

Building on research into the use of copper in wound healing and silver as an antiseptic, skin care brands are adding precious metals to their formulas. Combining science and luxury in the search for youthful good looks and wellness, this trend is set to be big in 2022. Look out for new additions to your favourite ranges or dip into something new as a well-deserved treat.


6. Virtual solutions to real problems

With millions suffering from the after effects of Covid and medical professionals under pressure, 2022 is the perfect year for prescription gaming to take off. While computer games and virtual reality have no doubt been used as part of treatment regimes before, we’re now seeing the rise of evidence-based, medically tested apps and VR simulations designed to treat specific issues. The FDA has recently approved programmes to treat ADHD, back pain and certain eye problems.


7. Shining a light on male fertility

While scare stories about female fertility are ten a penny, male fertility issues are often ignored, leaving many men shocked to learn that they may not be able to have the children they wanted. This is starting to change, and 2022 will see shifts across the board, from biotech startups offering sperm freezing and smartphone-based sperm analysis through campaigns to increase awareness of causes and treatment options to celebs speaking out about their struggles. Tech startup ExSeed Health offers at home testing in the UK, or fertility clinics often offer a fixed-price MOT-style check up.


8. Social media therapy

Which social media app you and your friends feel most at home in is a key generational marker for smartphone using populations. For many of the young adults that make up Gen Z, that home is TikTok and they’re making space there for things that matter, including therapy and trauma counselling. While sites like Instagram (Millennials), Twitter (Gen X) and Facebook (Boomers) come under fire for knowingly undermining the well being of their users, is it possible that the digital natives of Gen Z have shaped a space that truly works for real human beings? It’s unlikely that we’ll get a solid conclusion in 2022, but we can hope this is a tipping point.


9. Hack your metabolism

As the health industry and medical researchers begin to move on from the over-simplified ‘calories in, calories out’ model, we’re learning more about other factors that affect how our body takes up nutrients, manages weight and other issues that can affect appearance, health and well being. Metabolism (how fast your body burns energy to handle ordinary processes) and gut health will be at the forefront of this research in 2022, so if you want to get ahead of the pack, now is a great time to investigate metabolism hacking. Managing your metabolism can be done in a range of ways from increasing your magnesium intake to intermittent fasting.


10. Walk-in mental health support

Research reported in the Guardian in October suggests that the Covid pandemic has increased cases of depression and anxiety worldwide by more than a quarter. As the effects of the pandemic drag on, many people are finding themselves needing help and support that they never previously needed to access. Drop-in mental health services have been trialled in the UK and are predicted to pick up steam around the world in 2022. In the US, pharmacies including CVS and Rite Aid are offering convenience driven mental health support through apps, virtual and in-person appointments. Hopefully, this model will increase access for those in need and make seeking support for a mental health problem as unremarkable as buying paracetamol for a hangover.


11. Public spaces welcome private emotions

Emotional and mental health have been big issues for a number of years, with problems and service shortages exacerbated by the pandemic. In 2022 we can expect to see these issues take centre stage, with public institutions and spaces making more of an effort to acknowledge the emotional and mental well being of the people who use the space. Around the world, we’re seeing art and community spaces transformed into a place to share or process emotions while spontaneous memorials, graffiti and other public expressions of collective emotion remind us that we’re not alone. Will this mark the beginning of a permanent shift where public spaces are built to welcome private emotions? We don’t know, but it will be interesting to watch.

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