If current market trends are any indication, 2020 is the start of the natural wellness decade. From spending less time on electronic devices to paying more attention to what they eat, a lot of people are indicating that they want to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Here are just a few trends we’ve noticed so far:
Getting outdoors – This might owe its surging popularity to social media and the thrill of showing off where you’ve been. But whatever its origin, there is a movement to get outside. People are camping, hiking, kayaking, hitting the beach, and soaking up plenty of vitamin D. And they’re posting pictures of it, which makes their friends want to get outside more, too.
Managing screen time – Apps to help you bring your recreational device usage time down are trending as we begin the new year. Not only are people trying to spend less time fidgeting with their phones, but they’re getting more conscious of the effects of staring at a screen all day. Blue light filtering glasses are also on trend in 2020.
Exercise – If the fitness fashion industry’s popularity is any indication, exercise is on the rise – if for no other reason that it helps you look good in the clothes if you actually exercise regularly. Small workout gyms have also become more commonplace, seemingly equal parts yoga and strength training.
Eating more plants – The scientific data has been around for decades, but it’s taking time for the medical community to catch up. However, with the rising popularity of documentaries like Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers – both free to stream on Netflix – people are seeing the benefits of eating more plants.
Supporting local growers – The resurgence of small businesses has been going strong and looks to get even stronger. With so much of people’s lives involving large corporations – from shopping to healthcare to telecommunications – people seem to enjoy supporting small, local businesses, and this includes the people who grow and cook their food.
Reading ingredients – More people are turning the package over to see what’s in their food, beverages, and personal care purchases. The longer the list of ingredients with names of chemicals you’ve never heard of, the less likely you are to buy a product you ingest or apply to your body in 2020.
Relaxing – Coping with stress has created a thriving industry that includes apps to help you meditate and the explosion of the CBD oil industry. These days, people just want to be calm and carry on.
Growing more plants – This is different than eating more plants, although people do like to grow their own vegetables. Decorating with plants seems to be a growing trend thanks to its Instagramability. Tending to nature has a way of relaxing people – another way to help you cope with stress – not to mention the potential air-cleaning benefits if you have enough plants in your home. Also, the happier people are in their homes, the more their overall well being seems to grow.
Feeding healthier food to pets – As people look more closely at what they’re feeding themselves, they’re starting to wonder whether the food they feed their pets the healthiest it could be. It also seems that, the more people are willing to spend on their own food to make sure it’s organic or locally grown, the more they’re willing to spend on those same benefits for the animals that they love and care about.
Remote healthcare – More people are scheduling phone or video chats with their doctor in 2020, which means less exposure to whatever is ailing everyone else in the waiting room. While this doesn’t signal the end of infectious disease, it may help a lot of people avoid communicable sickness in one of the places where it’s the most likely to linger.
I write like I think—fast, curious, and a little feral. I chase the weird, the witty, and the why-is-this-happening-now. From AI meltdowns to fashion glow-ups, if it makes you raise an eyebrow or rethink your algorithm, I’m probably writing about it. Expect sharp takes, occasional sarcasm, and zero tolerance for boring content.
