Wellness Trends for 2022: Holistic Health and Mindfulness

Transformational Travel

Preventative and transformative holidays will firmly re-position you at the centre of your own life. We will be eating even more plant-based foods with delicious veggie and vegan cuisine, and we will be turning to the forests to address our stress hormones. On the other end of the spectrum sits high-tech wellness: achieving the best version of yourself with the latest health technologies. Yummy mummies and men alike will be rediscovering themselves through me-time. Explore the 2022 trends at the following PureandCure hotels. 

Naturally, you can still come to us for the timeless classics: yoga/meditation, detox, thalasso, ayurveda, anti-stress, fitness and weight loss.

Transformative and tailor-made holidays

Personal growth replaces pampering, as an increasing number of people opt for meaningful programmes with space for self-reflection and discovery. Who am I? Where do I want to be heading? What matters to me? Or how do I go on after a difficult experience? The impetus behind the journey, as it were. Return home having made lasting changes to your actions, thoughts, self-limitations, self-love and self-care practices.   

Hotels offering transformative programmes: Kamalaya-Thailand, Ananda in the Himalayas-India, Atmantan Wellness Resort-India, Euphoria Retreat-Greece, MasQi-Spain.  

Preventative wellness holidays

We know what’s good for us. But doing it or keeping it up isn’t always easy. As soon as we become over-worked, the gym takes a back seat again. We grab something to eat on the run. Indulge in that extra glass of wine. The air quality in the city isn’t doing us any favours, either. Bad habits are at the root of many health issues. Preventative wellness retreats put you back on track, reset your body, instil good habits and help you stick with them once back home.

Hotels offering preventative wellness programmes: Somatheeram Ayurveda Village-India, Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel-Portugal, Park Igls-Austria.

High-tech health – test and measure

Smart watches keep track of our heart rate, steps, calories burned and sleeping habits. Apps track our progress and record our health goals. Technological gadgets offer possibilities for tailored wellness on holiday, too. Hotels are using the latest technologies to improve your health and cross the proverbial ‘t’ in health.

Hotels offering high-tech wellness programmes: SHA Wellness Clinic-Spain, Chiva-Som-Thailand.

Plant-based delights - Veggie Haute Cuisine

Scientific support for the benefits of a plant-based diet for humans and the planet alike is piling up. A growing number of people are opting for a vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian diet as a result. The number of hotel kitchens honouring the farm-to-table concept has sky rocketed. Local products, homegrown organic greens and fantastic vegetarian or vegan haute cuisine are just a few examples of a growing green industry.

Hotels offering exceptional plant-based cuisine: Absolute Sanctuary-Thailand.

Back to nature – get better with trees

Stress, anxiety and depression are three common responses to modern living. And all three are health threats. The antidote? Mother nature! All five senses are brought to life whilst your thoughts settle. The Japanese call it ‘forest bathing’ and are long-standing proponents. Research indicates that it really does work. Cortisone (the stress hormone) levels dip rapidly during a forest walk. Blood pressure also drops, the immune system is boosted and sleep enhanced.

Hotels offering an exceptional natural environment: Lefay-Italy, Badhotel Domburg-Zeeland (NL), The Retreat-Costa Rica, Sen Wellness Sanctuary-Sri Lanka.

Modern Man – midlife

The modern man’s midlife crisis is no longer characterised by fast cars or random tattoos. Rather, by an investment in his health. Midlife crisis turned midlife opportunity: merely halfway rather than already halfway. Men aged between 45 and 70 are booking wellness holidays more and more readily. As such, wellness programmes at pioneering resorts are now also featuring programmes designed specifically for men.

Hotels offering programmes for men: Absolute Sanctuary-Thailand, Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti-Italy, SHA Wellness Clinic-Spain.

Mama Me-Time – Make headspace

Young children say the word ‘mummy’ on average 387 times a day when they need something (versus ‘daddy’ 78 times.) In the case of multiple children, this figure reaches over 700, 1,000 or even 1,400 a day. A mother will thus stand up to meet the child’s call for help on average 16 times more often. Whilst they are little treasures – each and every one of them - everyone deserves to have a bit of space left over in their own head for their own thoughts. Yet that’s exactly what suffers. Mama me-time holidays, alone or with girlfriends, are good for both a mummy and her offspring. Recharge your batteries, rediscover yourself and catch up on some sleep, and you’ll be one happy mummy!

Adults-only hotels offering pampering programmes: MasQi-Spain, Shanti-Som-Spain, Euphoria-Greece, Kamalaya-Thailand.

About Marleen

This blog is written by Marleen, the founder of PureandCure.com in 2005. She travels around the world in search of the best Health & Wellbeing Hotels, Spas and Retreats and shares her know-how, experiences and observations through her blogs.