In the modern world, health and wellness have become popular topics. We are staying inside, overworking ourselves on screens, and often living a sedentary lifestyle. It's no wonder that we are focused on the overall well-being of humans.
While the basics of a lean healthy diet, regular exercise, and the importance of spending time outdoors in the sun have all been covered, there are many health and wellness trends around the world that deserve more attention. Below are some of these trends and how you can learn from them.
Wellness Retreats
A popular phenomenon around the world is the wellness retreat. You can go on one of these trips in a variety of places, but some have specifically become destinations for healing. South and Southeast Asia are spiritual places where Westerners flock to connect with their inner nature.
They go to India to stay at an ashram, and they go to Thailand to visit monasteries. Sri Lanka has all kinds of wellness retreat options. You could go to an island where you find peace and quiet or dedicate yourself to spirituality. Whether you are going through something traumatic, are giving up drugs and alcohol, or simply need to be alone with your thoughts, wellness retreats shouldn't be overlooked.
Flotation Tanks
While flotation tanks have been used since the 1950s, it has taken them a while to catch on. In the United States it has become a therapeutic method. When you go into a tank full of salt water and close the door, you float in a dark, womb-like enclosure.
You don't have to try to float. There is enough salt to keep you floating. Float tanks patients report a feeling of calm, the ability to work through their problems, and a sense of oneness that comes with depriving yourself from the senses. Often called sensory deprivation tanks, this trend has become increasingly popular.
Sexual Health
People across the world are realizing that sexual health and wellness is integral to life. Humans are biologically wired to reproduce. Everyone contends with these desires. Around the world, people are realizing that much of what we were told about sex wasn't true. Taboos and traditions may prevent the average person from expressing themselves sexually.
Things are changing. Sexual wellness also comes with liberation. Sex toys in Canada, Europe, and United States are becoming more common. Contraception is more widely accepted. Sex is being discussed more freely. The world won't change its opinions about sexual relationships so quickly, but there is an enlightenment that has spread to promote sexual health and well-ness.
Mindfulness Practice
Mindfulness is a simple concept that religions and other spiritual groups have used for centuries, but the modern way to look at the practice is new. Buddhist meditation is a form of mindfulness. So is yoga. Mindfulness is essentially being as present in the moment as possible. There are plenty of ways to practice mindfulness.
You can sit in silence and focus on your breathing. You can meditate with your eyes closed repeating a mantra. You can use grounding techniques that use physical sensation to bring a person back into the present moment. Mindfulness has become a buzzword and a trend around the globe, but it isn't new. Mindfulness is just the best way to describe it.
Therapy
Argentina has the highest population of therapy patients in the world. Why have other countries lagged? For the first time ever, therapy is being wholly and seriously accepted. With so much mental illness in America and beyond, therapy is a good place to start. You don't need to be flawed or mentally ill to go to therapy.
There are many health and wellness trends happening around the world. With globalization, we can learn from other cultures, people, and practices that aren't popularized where we are. When you take in this wisdom, we can learn how to be well. Wellness isn't just physical; it is mental and spiritual. These trends illuminate that these things are all connected.
Ryan Beitler is a writer and journalist who has covered health and travel for many publications.
