Top 4 Health and Wellness Trends
Austin Ruff
The new year is around the corner, and everyone has a plan to improve their health and wellness. What’s yours?
From TikTok and Instagram to Facebook and YouTube, social media is blowing up with everyone’s current health trends.
Last year’s top health trends were all about berberine for weight management, gut health (it’s the foundation of quality sleep, healthy aging, and so much more), and inositol for women’s health. Also, chances are you heard something about Ozempic®.
So, what’s on the rise this year with health and wellness trends? And what are our predictions for your favorite Thorne health solutions? Here are our top four wellness trends to follow.
1. What is “Dry January”?
Our first wellness trend is “Dry January.” It’s got to do with alcohol, and no, it’s not about what style of wine to drink!
At its core, Dry January is a movement to abstain from consuming alcohol during the first month of the year.
Participants cite goals of improving their health and wellness as reasons for partaking in Dry January. The idea is that cutting alcohol if only for one month, can snowball into healthier habits for the rest of the year.
Born out of a campaign that originated in the United Kingdom 10 years ago, Dry January only recently gained traction in the United States. In 2023, surveys estimated that more than one-third of adult drinkers participated in Dry January, and 2024 is shaping up to be Dry January’s biggest year yet.
A related trend is the rise of non-alcoholic beers and wines. Want to participate in Dry January but still want to enjoy happy hour with friends? Many are turning to 0-percent ABV beers and wines, which offer the same flavors with none of the boozy side effects.
Mocktails also maintained their popularity in years past. Our favorite mocktail? Make a sugar-free, guilt-free mojito by mixing 1/2 scoop of Thorne’s Daily Greens Plus with your favorite lime-flavored seltzer or zero-sugar lemon-lime soda; serve on ice and garnish with a mint sprig!
You can read more about Dry January here.
2. Cuddle up with “cozy cardio”
If you’ve ever joined a cardio bootcamp class, then “cozy” probably is the last word on your mind. “Sweaty” maybe.
Of all the health trends blowing up TikTok, everyone is buzzing about an approach to a heart-healthy cardio exercise called “cozy cardio.” No need to jumpstart your mornings at the gym with an intense workout under blinding fluorescent lights and blasting workout music.
Cozy cardio is all about the vibe, and the vibe is, well, “cozy.”
Slip into some pajamas. Turn the lights down low, and light a candle if you like. Put on your favorite streaming TV series or an easy-listening Spotify playlist. For cardio, find movement that feels good and makes you feel good, with the benefits of pumping your heart.
Walking on a treadmill is the most popular form of cozy cardio. Why walking? Walking is a great beginning exercise with whole-body benefits, like improved blood flow and increased bone strength. Walking for just 30 minutes can burn up to 200 calories.
Don’t have a treadmill? Try some cozy yoga or perform some cozy squats. The goal is to find movement that is low impact.
While cozy cardio might not have the same sweat-inducing benefits of a high-heart-rate workout, the goal behind cozy cardio is to reframe the idea of working out as something intense and dreadful into something meditative to look forward to. Cozy cardio can serve as a starting point for people who struggle with motivation to work out or are looking to incorporate exercise into their weight management journey.
3. It’s not about quality sleep – it’s about “sleep hygiene.”
At Take 5 Daily, we regularly report on the benefits of a good night’s sleep – and the dangers of not getting enough quality sleep. More than 40 percent of U.S. adults sleep less than the ideal amount, which can lead to burnout, stress, and lack of energy throughout the day.
That’s why this next 2024 trend in health and wellness is building better sleep habits through what’s known as “sleep hygiene.”
Sleep hygiene is the practice of building your day to benefit your sleep schedule; one way to think about sleep hygiene is that sleep should be seen not as just the end of an activity, but as one final activity to perform. Just like when preparing for a workout you go through a series of steps to stretch and warm up – sleep hygiene is preparing your body during the day for quality sleep that night.
How do you practice good sleep hygiene?
For starters, go to bed at the same time every night – including on weekends! – and set an alarm to wake up at the same time each morning. Consistency is key; poor sleep can result from an erratic sleep schedule because your mind doesn’t have a baseline of when sleep should commence.
Next, create a sleeping environment that is quiet, dark, and the right temperature for you. If you live in a well-lit neighborhood, then install some blackout curtains. If there’s too much noise that you can’t control, then experiment with a white-noise machine to mute those noises. Avoid screen time before bed to minimize the effects of blue light and over-stimulation of the brain. If you are used to scrolling on your phone before bed, then read a book or magazine instead.
If you have a TV or computer in your bedroom, then it’s a good idea to move them to another room. Think of your bedroom as the place only where you sleep.
Other habits to practice in the hours leading up to sleep? Avoid big meals and abstain from caffeine before bed. Finish your dinner 2-3 hours before you go to bed. Also, avoid consuming excess alcohol before bed; while it helps induce feelings of sleepiness, alcohol ultimately delays or interrupts REM sleep and interferes with restorative deep sleep.
4. Home health testing – your health in your hands
Closing out our list of trending wellness products and habits are at-home health tests. People everywhere are acting on their health in the comfort of their own homes. Over-the-counter diagnostic tests that use simple collection techniques have grown popular both in retail stores and online.
Why? One of the reasons is that they’ve never been easier to access. Health insurance plans increasingly feature Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (HSAs); these programs set aside funds that can be used for certain health-care costs. At the end of the year, many people choose to spend their HSA or FSA funds, which can be used on at-home health tests.
Home health tests have never been easier to take. Thorne’s best-selling health tests include insights on your personal biomarkers, analysis of potential risks, and individualized recommendations on the next steps to take with your health journey.
Interested in taking your health into your own hands? Then check out Thorne’s entire line-up of at-home health tests. All test results are reviewed by board-certified physicians and include diet, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations to improve your health. Thorne tests are also eligible to purchase using your FSA or HSA funds.
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