Last year saw our health and wellness routines largely go out the window, with luxury getaways cancelled, yoga classes being paused and home workouts, without our usual equipment at the gym, meaning we all had to adapt to a new way of living.
With the pressures that came with the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – from home working and schooling to more precarious finances – many of us found little time for meditation and self care – but this year, we’re putting a focus back on looking after ourselves and restoring balance in our lives.
As we head towards the summer months, and lockdown comes to an end, there’s no better time to upgrade your wellness routine to get the most out of it you have yet, and there are several trends just waiting to be tapped into that are set to dominate the rest of the year.
It’s time to regain control and press the reset button – and here’s how to do it.
Digital detoxes
Over the past twelve months, we’ve relied heavily on the digital world to keep just about every element of our lives ticking over. Business meetings and social get-togethers with friends have been via Zoom, and online grocery shopping has increased exponentially – so much so that it seems we are glued to our mobile phones, tablets and laptops more than ever before.
The news, the TV and social media, though, are awash with negativity surrounding the pandemic, and for many, it’s taking its toll. In 2021, it’s time to remind ourselves that we have a choice about what we consume and that it’s up to us to set boundaries around our digital consumption, spending less time on anything that might dampen our spirits and focusing on positive content instead.
Can’t imagine living without your mobile phone? You don’t have to – but try keeping it out of the bedroom to reduce your exposure. Setting a maximum time limit for the evenings, at which point you have to switch off, and avoid looking at it first thing in the morning, will give your mind time to relax, and you’ll be certain to sleep better due to the reduced exposure to blue light, too.
Fancy going one better? Then why not challenge yourself to detox completely for one day a week? It might feel difficult, but with a little practice, you’ll soon start to see the benefits. Sunday is the perfect day to get started.
More you-time
With so much on our plates over the past year, you’ve likely found little time available to focus on yourself, but this summer is all about women taking their power back. Making more space for self-care will be a key focus, but this time, we’re going beyond long hot baths, meditation and massages.
Yoni eggs – which are kegel weights, sex toys and crystal therapy tools all in one – have been making waves in the world of women’s health in recent months. Combining spiritual and physical healing by fortifying the vaginal walls and channelling the energy of semi-precious stones, they’ve become popular amongst yogis and Taoist masters alike and could be the next great way to elevate your spiritual practice to whole new levels.
Ben Wa balls, meanwhile, are also experiencing a surge in popularity. These ‘kegel’ balls have been flying off the shelves at Kegglers this year and have become particularly popular amongst post-partum women, helping them to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles – whilst also doubling up as a sex toy.
Mindful and intuitive eating
The added stress of the pandemic, coupled with longer stretches of time spent at home, have seen many of us reaching for the snacks or the wine bottle a little more often than we were previously used to. If you’ve found yourself piling on the pounds or using food and drink as an emotional crutch, then it’s time to reset your eating habits and get back on track to a happier, healthier you.
What that doesn’t mean is turning to a restrictive or fad diet in a bid to lose the excess weight, and this summer, we’ll see the trend towards mindful and intuitive eating – which was making some headway pre-pandemic – return with full force. Placing more of a focus on listening to and fuelling our bodies efficiently, this is all about forging a healthier relationship with food – moving away from the past trends that saw entire food groups demonised and doing away with the labels of ‘good’ and ‘bad’.
Intuitive eating is all about eating when you’re hungry, but learning to recognise when other factors are influencing your choices – for example, stress, or hormones.
With the growing trends towards sustainable living, we’ll also see people beginning to make more mindful choices when out shopping, and taking steps to reduce their food waste – using up scraps and leftovers to make extra meals instead of throwing them away.
The bottom line
Summer 2021 is all about putting ourselves first – and after a turbulent year, it’s no more than we deserve. Our health – both physical and mental – have been under considerable strain, but as we begin to emerge from the ashes of the global pandemic and look forward to the return of normal life, now is the perfect time to put yourself back at the front and centre of your priorities.
