There’s no time like the present to turn a wellness travel trend idea into reality.
In a world of doomscrolling, burnout, overconsumption, and overwork, taking time to prioritize your holistic health can be life-changing. If you’re able to dedicate a trip to rest and support your body, even a brief vacation can do wonders. That’s where wellness travel trends come in. They’re a great place to find inspiration and motivation for your next planned respite.
In addition to helping you frame the type of experience you want, choosing a wellness travel trend to structure your trip can empower you to reclaim your well-being and take agency over how you feel.
When choosing a wellness retreat, listen to your body’s needs as best as you can. Doing so can inform you about which wellness experiences will be best for you to pursue at that time.
Below, find four wellness trends that you can explore to upgrade your health – because you deserve it.
Menopause
Menopause retreats are offered all over the world, providing women going through the change with an environment that caters to their needs and symptoms. Many menopause retreats help women understand changes in their reproductive health, as well as the significant shift they face in midlife. Some resorts even offer insight into women’s overall health from medical practitioners. Menopause retreats and resort packages vary in what they offer (workshops, fitness classes, nutrition guides, medical insight, one-on-one time with wellness professionals, etc.), so choose wisely before booking.
Sleep
Sleep tourism revolves around prioritizing the best possible shut-eye. It’s not about counting sheep; it’s about truly improving the quality of your sleep so you can function most optimally while you’re awake.
In addition to promoting rest and rejuvenation, embarking on sleep tourism is a way travelers can contribute to their overall physical and mental health. This type of wellness travel trend can manifest in different ways. Resort chains like Six Senses now offer dedicated sleep programs at their properties, featuring a sleep specialist, meditation sessions, relaxation and wellness therapies, and more to help you catch some ZZZs. Other ways travelers might practice this wellness travel trend include sleeping at a hotel that offers a unique, joy-inducing experience, or going on a “sleep divorce” while on vacation.
Blue Zones
Visiting a Blue Zone could be the ultimate form of restoration. It’s an excellent idea to pursue as a wellness travel trend if you’re prioritizing quality of life and longevity. Research has found that residents of the designated sites generally lead healthier lifestyles and often live past 100. The original five Blue Zones are Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California.
Visiting a Blue Zone and incorporating aspects of local lifestyles can offer a valuable perspective on wellness. The ways of life, attitudes, food, and forms of exercise in those zones are things you may incorporate into your life long after your vacation. Visiting one or more Blue Zones and experiencing those lifestyles firsthand can be an unforgettable and enriching experience. Some companies and resorts even offer “Blue Zone retreats” if you want your experience to be more structured.
Saunas, By Way Of Aufguss
Saunas are among the more accessible wellness travel trend options on this list. Some may not have to travel far for a sauna session, instead opting for one in their town or the city over.
Led by an “Aufgussmeister,” aka a “sauna master,” aufguss is an experience during which the leader throws ice infused with essential oils onto the rocks in the sauna room. The action produces aromatherapeutic steam. Aufguss may also include music and special lighting, enhancing what would otherwise be an uneventful sweat session. Additionally, the Aufgussmeister creatively wafts an essential oil-infused towel through the air, putting on a show for those in the group session. Notably, “aufguss” translates from German into English as “infusion.”
Aufguss can bring fun, immersive, and communal elements to a wellness practice many already find relaxing, stress-relieving, and beneficial for their circulation.
