Wellness is huge right now – taking care of your physical, mental and social wellbeing and being aware of the choices you make guiding you towards a healthy lifestyle.
Mindful travel
“As sustainability takes the tourism industry by storm, many of us are looking to more eco-friendly methods of travel, such as train or bus journeys,” says Christi-an Slomka, Community Manager and Mindful Movement Teacher at Calm. “These longer journeys are the perfect opportunity to take some time to relax and rejuvenate with mindfulness meditation exercises. Travelling, in general, can often feel hectic and rushed, and many of us don’t recognise it as an opportunity to find some inner calm.” Of course, after Covid-19 will pass, and the borders finally can open.
Power-napping
We’re totally here for this. “Long and quality sleep is essential for the brain to function at its optimum level,” explains Christi-an. “Napping will take centre stage in 2020 as more of us begin to recognise the importance of a good snooze to give our minds and bodies a boost.” Pop-up ‘sleep pods’ are becoming super popular in cities to give tired professionals a chance to recharge.
Insta-banning
Much has been spoken of recently about the negative effects of social media and the possible correlation between excessive phone use and anxiety. Recent studies have found that millennials and Generation Z are now shunning social platforms for IRL (in real life) experiences. Calm predicts a shift towards using our smartphones for more mindful purposes, such as mini-meditation sessions on the commute or listening to Sleep Stories at night-time to drift off easier.
Meditative craft
“Channelling your inner creative takes the mind off your troubles, and transports you to the present – a place where you’re fully focused on the very thing that you’re creating with your hands, making it a highly calming and therapeutic activity for many.”
Mindful dining
Are you a fast eater? Are mealtimes more of a refuelling exercise for you than a practice of savouring and discovering food? It may be time for a change. Mindful dining is all about chewing your food, distinguishing all the flavours, and feeling yourself becoming satiated. The more we practice this, the more it will become a learned skill or habit. A new phenomenon is ASMR videos (autonomous sensory meridian response), where one listens to the relaxing sounds of people eating different foods. It’s supposed to be satisfying although it could be a personal choice!
Tidy home, tidy mind
There’s a reason Instagram sensation Mrs Hinch has got such a huge following – and it’s all down to the satisfying and mindful element that comes through cleaning your house. Christi-an says: “We predict that everyday meditation will take centre stage in 2020 as house-proud Brits combine household chores with mindfulness techniques. Taking a leaf from Marie Kondo and the concept of ‘tidy home, tidy mind’ the act of decluttering, cleaning and the return of minimalism will continue to resonate.”
Mental health gyms
In October 2019, the UK’s first mental health gym opened in Manchester offering mindfulness sessions, hypnotherapy, psychiatrist appointments and more. Demand for holistic centres such as this is set to increase in 2020 with Calm predicting a series of spin-off concepts.