The world of health and wellness is ever-changing, and with each new year comes the arrival of a swathe of new trends that influence our modern lifestyles. Since the global pandemic, there’s been a prolonged emphasis placed on better nutrition, doing more exercise, and making time for self care, and in 2023, things are no different.
As we continue to take a holistic approach to health and wellness, incorporating the physical, mental and emotional into our routines more than ever before to achieve an all-round greater sense of wellbeing, a range of exciting new trends are gathering momentum. From innovative weight loss solutions to a growing focus on mental health, these are the themes that are dominating the health and wellness landscape this year so far.
Personalising weight loss
The effects of the global pandemic have been long-lasting, and many of us are still trying to shed that extra lockdown weight, but gone are the days of damaging crash diets and the search for a ‘quick fix’, because in 2023, it’s all about the sustainable approach.
As a helping hand for those looking to reduce their body weight to a healthier level, permanently, we’re seeing some exciting developments in the sphere of weight loss management support, and Wegovy – an FDA-approved weekly weight loss injection
that has been shown to reduce appetite and increase feelings of satiety after eating and lead to an overall reduction in calorie intake, is one in particular that has been making waves. It works by harnessing the power of semaglutide – a synthetic version of a hormone that is already naturally found in the body and binds to the GLP-1 receptors in the pancreas and the brain. GLP-1 is released from your stomach when you eat and acts as a signal to your brain that your stomach is full, and Wegovy is able to mimic that.
Clinical trials of Wegovy have seen participants achieving significant weight loss – with online searches for ‘where to buy Wegovy’ surging as a result. It’s not a magic solution though; a nutritious, well-balanced and calorie-controlled diet is still key to success when taking Wegovy – and it’ll only be available to those whose body mass index is above 30. It should also only be used under the guidance of healthcare professionals – but its increasing popularity does indicate a shift to a more personalised approach to weight loss as the understanding that one size doesn’t fit all finally prevails.
Prioritising mental health
As our understanding of the connection between mental and physical health – a concept that is often referred to as the ‘mind-body connection’ – continues to grow, we’re placing a greater emphasis on supporting our mental health than ever before. During the pandemic, practices like meditation, mindfulness and visualisation techniques came into their own and were adopted by a larger number of people in the UK than we’ve ever seen previously, with the masses turning to them in a bid to help them cope with the feelings of stress and anxiety brought on by the ongoing uncertainty – and it seems that we’ve since cemented them into our lifestyles permanently.
A new offshoot of this trend that we’ve seen in 2023 so far is the shift towards digital mental health apps, which provide convenient and on-the-go access to a plethora of mental health resources, anywhere, anytime. From guided meditation and yoga apps to mood tracking and therapy sessions, it’s now possible to access everything you need to support your mental health and wellbeing in just a few taps of your smartphone screen.
Embracing energy healing and vibrational medicine
Emotional wellbeing is enjoying a moment under the spotlight this year, too, and ancient practices and alternative therapies are surging in popularity as a result. Energy healing and vibrational medicine modalities such as reiki, acupuncture and sound healing aim to balance the body’s energy systems and promote holistic feeling, and despite once being considered as relatively niche, they are slowly but surely making their way into the mainstream as our understanding of the benefits grows.
For those looking to reduce stress and anxiety – or make them feel more manageable, holistic healing practices like these provide a welcome lifeline that has the power to instill a sense of calm when it’s needed the most, tapping into the body’s innate healing abilities to improve overall wellbeing.
Optimising sleep
As a nation, we’re chronically sleep deprived, with three quarters of the UK population failing to achieve the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and 14 per cent getting less than five hours. But it seems our dedication to changing all that is enjoying a refresh as we strive not just to get more shut-eye, but to get better quality sleep, too.
The rise of sleep trackers and optimisation apps is largely responsible, providing valuable data and insights that are helping us to improve our sleep patterns and leverage our circadian rhythms to make the most of our energy throughout the day, too. Creating consistent sleep schedules, prioritising sleep hygiene and relaxation techniques, and ensuring our bedrooms are setting us up for a successful night’s snoozing are all part of it, and as we become increasingly aware of our body’s natural wake and sleep cycles, we’re using this new found knowledge to align our daily routines and become more productive overall.
