The last year and a half have been tough for many around the world. Working from home, a pandemic and numerous lockdowns have left many feeling frazzled and stressed. Indulging in some form of self-care has been a saving grace for many, and if COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s this – prioritising our physical, mental and spiritual health is so important.
It should come as no surprise that health and wellness are on the rise, with many tossing the adage that self-care is a selfish practice and replacing it with a new one – it’s okay to be kind to yourself while listening to your mind and body.
Having said all that, here are just a few self-care trends that we’re loving right now:
Sleep care as Self-care:
“Sleep care is the new self-care,” states the head of beauty partnerships at Pinterest, Aya Kanai. Not only is better sleep a great way to take care of yourself, but many are beginning to understand the link between sleep and your immune system. Sleep studies further reiterate the importance of getting a good night’s rest, as lower stress levels and a better mood are often associated with a good sleep routine.
However, sleep care can be challenging with quarantine practices and working from home since there is often no “off switch.” Sleep trackers will become popular in the coming year, along with indulgent bedtime routines such as adding essential oil diffusers and sleep yoga to your routine.
Slow Living
According to Think with Google, the concept of “slow living” has exploded on YouTube and is associated with similar and popular themes such as simple living and minimalism. Clearly, 2020 was a rough year for many, as the website found a 4x increase in views of videos with “slow living” in the title in 2020 compared to 2019.
While it may seem obvious, slow living is all about taking a moment to enjoy the little things in life, whether that means sitting down without your phone to enjoy a delicious apple or spending time outdoors and taking up new hobbies. The idea is to drown out the chaos and the constant drone of the outside world and focus on being present. This trend is likely to increase, and we start prioritizing our mental health.
Wellness Holidays
Mention 2020, and you’re likely to send many into a triggered frenzy. The last year and a bit have been a tough one for many, with stress and anxiety continuing to bubble to the surface throughout the pandemic. While a trip to the spa for a massage has always been a great way to practice self-care, many are beginning to redefine how they view wellness, in particular, wellness and tourism.
With the tourism industry taking a huge knock thanks to Covid restrictions, leaders in the industry have taken notes and have begun to prioritise health and wellness packages that cater to the growing demand for physical, spiritual and mental wellbeing. This trend is likely to explode once borders open as people become more comfortable with travel, as wellness becomes the “cool kid on the block.”
Self-pleasure as Self-care
The idea of self-pleasure, female self-pleasure in particular, has always been taboo. However, somatic sex educator and certified sexological bodyworker, Kiana Reeves states that 2021 is the year of sexual liberation. Or at least, attitudes have slowly opened to the idea of self-pleasure as a form of stress relief and self-care.
“In 2021, I hope we start seeing self-pleasure as not only a sexual act, but a sensual one that involves all of the senses, all of the body, and really as a tool to feed the body what it needs most, which is usually our care and attention and support in feeling good.”
Despite a very disruptive year, self-pleasure (for men and women) is a great way to step into the practice of mindfulness, and various sexual wellness products have now entered the market to help support this new “self-care” trend.
Social Media Fitness
In 2020, fitness moved online thanks to lockdown restrictions, which is a trend that’s likely to continue throughout 2021. Now more than ever, fitness professionals are reaching their audience through social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube, with fitness videos becoming increasingly popular and a great alternative to pricey gym memberships.
Virtual Zumba classes and TikTok yoga videos are all the rage. And the online space making it incredibly easy to find something that suits your fitness needs and is a trend is definitely not going anywhere.
Picture: Pinterest
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https://www.capetownetc.com/health/autumn-self-care-practices/
