21 Wellness Trends You Need to Try in 2021
As the New Year approaches, many of us are thinking about revamping our self-care and fitness routines. Taking care of yourself is one of the most important aspects of any life, even if it’s not something that we’re taught from a young age. The fact of the matter is that the better you are to yourself, the better you’ll feel.
And when you feel better, you are better.
It’s easier for you to take care of others when you feel your own needs are taken care of. So, if you’ve been neglecting self-care and wellness for the sake of others, now is the time to realize that taking care of yourself is the most important act of all.
You may also be curious about the wellness trends that will accompany the New Year: What will 2021 tell us about self-care and wellness? And are those trends worth your time?
The wellness industry changes each day. You may remember a time not so long ago when the debate on eggs was in full effect – each year, we’d hear new stories about whether eggs were good or bad for your health, whether they have positive or negative effects on cholesterol. Wellness is a similar issue – each year, we learn of new trends that may or may not fit the trends of years past.
We have a few predictions about the wellness trends of 2021 that we’d like to share with you today.
So, if you’re curious about how best to take care of yourself this year, or if you’re curious about the trends that are worth your time, keep reading to learn about our predictions for the wellness trends of 2021 that deserve your time and energy!
21 Wellness Trends You Have to Try in 2021
One of the best things about the day and age is that healthier lifestyles are growing more popular than ever. That means that there are plenty of new trends to choose from, most of which are sustainable for the environment and good for your own body and spirit!
We’ve gathered the best of the best and dove head-first into lots of wellness research to bring you the best list of 21 wellness trends you need to try in 2021.
1. Scheduling Mental Health Days
We don’t exactly know what 2021 will bring after so many challenges we’ve seen in 2020, but one thing is for sure: most of us have realized how important taking care of our mental health is. We live in a society that places great emphasis on productivity, but not enough importance is placed on our mental health and how crucial it is to take care of ourselves.
That’s why taking a mental health day every once in a while can be such a rewarding experience.
Suppose you find that you’re pushing yourself too hard or edging close to emotional or physical burnout. Schedule a day off from work to pamper yourself and focus on self-care. Prioritizing your mental wellbeing may be just what you need to gather more energy this year.
2. Focusing on Self-Care
Whether they were welcomed or not, the challenges we’ve faced in 2020 shined a light on how important it is to take care of ourselves, from eating right to avoiding a global health pandemic – and everything in between.
Many of us felt like we faced our own mortality this year, realizing how precious and short life is. And certain themes have been amplified in our lives, like taking better care of our bodies, minds, and emotions.
Self-care will become even more important in 2021, as we shift into a new paradigm that focuses less on productivity and success and more on health and wellbeing. It’s time to connect to yourself, listen to your body and needs, and tend to your emotions.
Ensuring that you take time for self-care each day will set you up for one of the best years of your life yet!
Learn more about self-care as you move into 2021: 7 Reasons Why Self-Care is Essential for Your Mental Health
3. Saying “No” to Diets
While we may have put on a few pounds during quarantine, one thing is for sure: Fad diets don’t work.
You may shed a pound or two, but the most important thing for long-term health is developing a healthy relationship with food. When your goal is to nourish your body, magic naturally happens.
It’s also time to accept our bodies and their perfectly imperfect flaws.
As the beautiful Cindy Crawford once said, “Even I don’t wake up looking like Cindy Crawford.” Stop putting pressure on yourself to fit a certain mold. Enjoy your ice cream from time to time, and focus on providing your body with the fruits, veggies, and whole grains it needs.
4. Saying “Hello” to Fresh
One of the easiest ways to take the pressure off of yourself in the kitchen is to embrace the advent of the meal kit. Services like Hello Fresh send fresh ingredients directly to your door, allowing you to make delicious meals with no guesswork or leftover ingredients. These services have been growing in popularity in recent years and for a good reason.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly get overwhelmed by those veggies that I promise I’ll use up – the very ones that end up going bad in the crisper.
When you allow the perfect amount of fresh and nutritious ingredients to be sent right to your door, not only is it easier to make homemade, healthy meals, but it prevents you from letting anything go to waste! These kits include recipe cards, all the ingredients you need, and the best part is that you can choose the kind of cuisine you prefer – for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike!
Say goodbye to the grocery store lines and the wilted lettuce at the bottom of your veggie drawer, and say hello to fresh, delicious, healthy meals.
Learning how to make your own veggies is also an option: How to Start a Garden Using Vegetable Scraps
5. Demanding Free Time
One thing that has made itself abundantly clear this year is that downtime is essential.
While being a productive member of society is wonderful, it isn’t worth trading in your health and peace of mind. Working yourself to the bone leaves you no time to tend to your passions, your hobbies, and the connections you most appreciate. And putting undue pressure and stress on yourself can negatively affect your physical health, leaving you vulnerable to viruses or disease.
Demanding free time for yourself helps you maintain momentum, gather more energy, let go of stress, and deepen your bonds with others. Giving yourself time to enjoy the things you love is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.
Burnout is out.
6. Embracing Your Sexuality
One rumored wellness trend that seems to be emerging in 2021 is embracing your sexuality and focusing more on sexual health. In fact, it seems that adult toys and products are even making a big comeback.
Why?
Because it’s time to destigmatize sexuality, time to stop thinking of healthy sexual appetites as dirty or wrong, it’s time to refute antiquated patriarchal standards and embrace the fact that you are a sensual person with needs.
Throw away the shame, set fire to the guilt. Let go of shaming words and language for yourself or others. After all, without sex, none of us would be here enjoying this life. It’s a natural part of life, and we’re now refusing to feel bad for wanting to enjoy it!
And as an added bonus, healthy sexual expression can help you feel more confident, creative, and it can amplify any manifestation work you’re doing.
7. Online Fitness Apps Growing in Popularity
Who among us hasn’t gotten slightly fluffier during quarantine? For the majority of 2020, gyms have been closed – and even reopened. Many people are choosing to protect their immune systems by continuing to stay home.
That’s why online fitness apps may become so popular this year – they provide an opportunity to stay in shape while avoiding any unnecessary trips out into the world during a global health pandemic.
Let’s face it. We don’t know when our world will go back to the normal we once knew. And we can’t use the pandemic as an excuse to avoid working out forever. Many fitness apps are completely free and provide myriad different workouts for you to practice in the comfort of your own home – even in your pajamas!
8. Promoting Youth Wellness
Do you remember being taught to meditate in school, being informed about deep breathing and how it can lower stress?
Neither do we.
The fact is that we are just now beginning to realize how important wellness and self-care are – as adults. One trend that seems to be emerging and gaining traction in 2021 is sharing the principles of self-care and emotional wellness with younger generations. We might all have had an easier time facing the challenges of 2020 if we’d experienced the same introduction to meditative techniques and activities from a young age.
Mattel, the creators of Barbie, has rolled out a program called “Barbie Wellness,” which teaches younger kids how to meditate with Barbie. There are also videos available now that teach kids how to practice yoga alongside their favorite Sesame Street character, Elmo.
Making self-care fun for our little ones will prepare them for the challenges of life, helping them develop appropriate and useful coping mechanisms! You can expect the biggest wellness trends of 2021 to trickle down into the sphere of younger generations this year.
9. Outdoor Fitness is Key
Another way to safely get your workout in is by spending some time outdoors, under the sunlight. Not only will you feel better after getting some fresh air – while also avoiding contact with others – but the light of the sun provides the body with vitamin D in its most beneficial form.
Spending time outside also boosts your mood, and after all of the stress we faced in 2020, we could all use a little metaphorical as well as literal sunshine!
Because this trend may grow in popularity, especially with so much unpredictability in our future, you may begin to see a lot more people spending time outside this year. While this may be a blessing in disguise – a time for us to get back to our roots – you should be careful and avoid coming into contact with anyone you don’t know. Taking a mask with you to protect yourself and others might provide a certain peace of mind while you traverse the great outdoors.
Read this article next: Why Spending Time in Nature is Vital for Your Mind
10. Thinking About a Flexitarianism Diet
Veganism has been on the rise in recent years, mainly due to our connection with animals and a desire to reduce our environmental impacts on the earth. But, if you’re anything like me, it can feel impossible to resist a beautiful charcuterie board, filled with fancy cheeses, gourmet crackers, and thinly sliced, cured meats every now and again.
It isn’t that you don’t love animals. It’s just that your taste buds demand flavor.
That’s where “flexitarianism” comes in.
If you want to eat a more plant-based diet without putting labels or pressure on yourself, ascribing to a flexitarian diet might be the solution you’ve been searching for! Flexitarianism is primarily plant-based, focused on lessening our impact on the environment, but it isn’t quite as rigid as a fully vegan diet.
The idea here is to focus as much on plant-based foods as possible but avoid judging or getting down on yourself for having a slice of cheese or a salmon skin roll from your favorite sushi place. This is about doing what you can for the environment without stressing yourself out or completely denying yourself the things you love.
And if you happen to be vegan already, we salute you! Yours is an honorable calling. The idea of flexitarian eating may not be as committed as many would prefer, but it’s a good start.
11. Cannabis Wellness on the Rise
As cannabis becomes more and more accepted – and legalized – around the country, the rise of cannabis wellness is inevitable. We’ve never before approached as much acceptance of the use of cannabis as we are now, and we’re beginning to learn collectively just how beneficial this medicine can be.
We’re predicting that cannabis and its medicinal uses will be growing steadily in popularity from 2021 on. In fact, some sources even claim that the legalization of cannabis in the United States is “inevitable.”
While this may not be your particular cup of tea, cannabis and its medicinal value appear to be a big topic in the world of wellbeing for 2021.
12. Connecting the Mind & Body
We often think of our minds and our bodies as two separate entities, but balancing the connection between the two is proving more crucial than ever, which is why we’re flagging this as a 2021 wellness trend.
Many people are turning to activities that engage both the body and the mind, linking them in a symbiotic and beneficial relationship. Imagine having a healthy physical body with an unhealthy mind. Imagine that you’re in a good place mentally but facing many problems within the body.
Bringing both your mind and your body into a place of health and wellness is crucial for 2021 – we need both our mental faculties and our physical bodies functioning in tip-top shape to face the challenges that this year may bring.
13. Learning to Love & Respect Your Body
One of the most beautiful aspects of our evolution as a society is that we’ve been embracing body positivity in recent years – and 2021 seems to be the year that this trend explodes.
The thing is, we’ve been dealing with impossible beauty standards for far too long. We’ve been convinced that our worth lies in our looks, in how acceptable we are physically according to modern standards. It’s time to embrace your body, its curves, and all that it does to keep you safe and protected.
2021 seems to be the best year yet for body positivity. Maybe it’s time to get a special notebook for your positive affirmations or leave lovely sticky notes around the house filled with phrases that remind you of how special and unique you and your body are!
We’re over the filters and the overly modified body parts we were used to seeing on our social media feeds. We’re going into 2021 with self-love, baby.
14. Telehealth Growing in Popularity
As we faced a pandemic last year, many of the services we were accustomed to receiving changed drastically. For instance, visiting the doctor for a small issue or attending an appointment for therapy and mental health mainly took place online this year.
We’ve all realized that some things might be easier when performed online.
In fact, it might even seem a little odd to go into therapy in person or to visit the doctor for smaller issues like congestion or allergies. Even beyond the issues of being out in public during a pandemic, we realize that telehealth is a safer, more convenient option for certain visits – and this trend is likely to continue growing in popularity during 2021.
15. Burnout is Out
Burnout – emotional or physical exhaustion due to prolonged periods of pushing yourself too hard – has been officially recognized as a medical condition by the World Health Organization.
Burnout can result in the feeling of being tired while also struggling with a solid sleep schedule. It can cause digestive issues, make it more difficult to focus, create emotional distance in your relationships, and even increase depression or anxiety within the body.
This is why the importance of taking care of yourself both mentally and physically will continue to grow in 2021.
We’re slowly stepping away from the idea that productivity rules all and beginning to realize that mental, emotional, and physical health is paramount. The stress resulting from a state of burnout can even negatively affect your physical health, leaving you more vulnerable to disease or infection, and 2021 will continue to be a year where safeguarding your health is the most important thing to focus on.
Learn more about burnout and how to avoid it in 2021: How to Recognize & Recover from Burnout
16. Understanding the Link Between Metabolic Health & Immunity
Science suggests that there is not only a link between metabolic health and immunity towards certain viruses or illnesses but that these two are inextricably entangled. A focus on gut health will continue to grow in 2021, which is much needed as nearly 88% of Americans are said to have poor metabolic health.
If we want to help our community become healthier on a large scale, we need to learn more about gut health and how to maintain it. You might see an increase in probiotic sales and certain foods that assist metabolic health next year.
Fermented foods to the rescue.
With gut health growing in popularity, you may notice more unique flavors of Kombucha, kimchi, sauerkrauts, prebiotics, probiotics, and other fermented foods becoming more mainstream.
17. Taking Care of Your Skin
Just as metabolic health and immunity are linked, so too does our skin protect us from certain toxins and pollutants. In fact, it’s said that our skin is our first line of defense, as it provides a barrier against outside threats.
This year, you can expect to see a lot of information circulating the globe regarding skin, its microflora, and how to best take care of this layer of protection on your body.
And let’s be real. Whether you’ve been battling “maskne” or have realized how much your skin has improved in these last few months by not wearing make-up (due to WFH or otherwise), there is a bigger and better emphasis on nurturing our natural skin.
18. Focusing on Healing Nature
While facing a global health pandemic was one of the scariest things most of us will ever go through, there was one positive effect – the necessary measure of quarantine led to a decrease in pollution, leading to better air quality and flourishing biodiversity.
We learned that we might have been abusing nature even more than we realized, and it’s time to help nature heal alongside our own bodies and souls.
You can expect to see an increase in the concept of taking care of our natural world, as well as a new wave of environmentalism in 2021. We need to put effort and energy into taking care of our planet, as it’s the only one we have as of yet. In fact, it’s said that the Earth has its own microbiome, and tending to it will become more important than ever in the near future.
We are likely to see a vast increase in a focus on putting power back into the hands of the natural world.
19. Creating More Screen Boundaries
The internet is a fantastic tool for connection, especially since we had to limit who we could see in 2020. That being said, 2021 gives us a chance to go back to the basics.
Reading a book, taking a virtual workout class, or picking up a new hobby will be more in demand than scrolling through our social media feeds this year, or maybe even binging Netflix for a few days in a row. And yes, you can say no to a virtual hangout if you don’t feel like it! Just because we aren’t physically in a space with other people, it does not mean it is any less draining to constantly be on a Zoom call.
It’s time to pull back and put some real boundaries around screentime.
Check this article out next: How to Stop “Doomscrolling” in 3 Effective Ways
20. Micro-Tracking Health
There was a time when fitness trackers did little more than track the number of steps taken in a day – but we’ve seen amazing advances in our micro-tracking technology in recent years. In fact, products like the Fitbit and the Apple Watch are now able to track your heart rhythm, among other factors.
The Apple Watch Series 6 even has a blood oxygen sensor!
Micro-tracking health is expected to continue growing in 2021, especially with such a big focus on physical health. These tools provide biofeedback, giving you deeper insight into your overall health. This is especially important for people who may not recognize certain signals within their body or those who do not feel that they are in tune with their body in the face of so much stress. These biometrics may also prove useful if you do need to visit the doctor, as this information may give them a better idea of how your body is functioning overall.
So, if you haven’t given in to the “wearable” trend quite yet, don’t be surprised if you find yourself researching the best fitness trackers in the next year – it may be time to join the club.
21. Sustainable Living on the Rise
Sustainable lifestyles have become more popular in recent years, as people are learning that a healthy, comfortable environment is much more important than fancy cars or houses. In 2021, you can expect this trend to propel itself into our collective consciousness. Even small steps, such as hanging your laundry to dry rather than using a drying machine, can make a big, beneficial impact on the planet over time.
Cooking at home more, buying seasonal fruits and veggies, and saying goodbye to plastic bags are just a few trends you can expect to see in 2021. Creating a more sustainable lifestyle for yourself will not only help Mother Nature, but it will also help you realize what really matters in life, what’s truly important.
This year, we’re stepping away from convenience and gravitating more towards behaving ethically and responsibly. After all, if we want a cozy planet, we must do our part to take care of it.
Which Wellness Trends Will You Be Trying in 2021?
Whether you’re looking to improve your life, health, or mental well-being, there are many options and strategies to try this year.
What trends are speaking to you? Did anything on this list stick out and make you feel inspired?
It’s time to make the changes in your life that you’ve meant to enact, time to improve your life from the inside out. Watch your life evolve and see the doors of opportunity opening all around you. Health should be your top priority in 2021 – but this concept of health should also be well-rounded.
Mental, physical, and emotional health are all crucial to maintain this year, as they are all deeply connected.
So, do your own research to determine which changes you’d like to make and how to best take care of yourself during the year to come. Your body, your mind, and your soul will thank you!
Related article: How to Set Smarter Resolutions for 2021
