Health and wellness have continued to gain popularity throughout 2019. In 2020, we will see even more people make lifestyle changes for the better!
The industry of integrative medicine continues to grow, as well as the dietary supplement industry. As groundbreaking research makes its way to informed patients, we will see improvements in our supplements and home remedies.
Most importantly, 2020 will add to the ever-growing body of human knowledge. With more knowledge comes better informed choices on self care.
What We Learned from 2019
From the many science backed health benefits of medicinal mushrooms, to the confirming research connecting collagen supplementation to healthier skin, 2019 brought with it a host of new revelations into integrative health.
One supplement exploding in popularity is CBD oil (cannabidiol). One study came out in December 2019 that demonstrated CBD oil’s effectiveness against pain associated with brain disorders.
According to the Global Wellness Institute, the health and wellness economy is valued at $4.2 trillion USD, up half a trillion from 2015.
As the health and wellness industry grows, products get better and more affordable. We saw this in 2019, and we’ll see it in 2020.
Health and Wellness Trends in 2020
What can we expect in 2020? Health and wellness will continue to reach more consumers, yes. But I wanted to focus on how 2020 will affect the mind, body, and spirit.
Mind
Mental health is less of a stigma every single year. Too long has society ignored their mental state. Now, more people are emphasizing mental health as much as their physical health. Here are a few 2020 mind health trends.
People are starting to better understand the importance of a full 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Some are turning to the burgeoning wearables market to track and improve their sleep schedules. Another way they achieve a full night’s sleep is turning off technology an hour or two before bed.
You’ve probably heard about blue light emissions — how the light emitted from most screens tricks our minds into thinking the sun is still up. Turning off the TV and putting down smartphones an hour before bed will become standard practice for many in 2020. (See how blue light can even affect your skin.)
Regular stress relief is trending. More and more people are finding simple ways to deal with their stress.
Meditation is rising in popularity, as are acupuncture and breathwork. Another stress reliever gaining steam is ear seeding. Ear seeds stimulate pressure in your ear, touting the same benefits of acupressure. Consumer demand for ear seeds will grow in 2020.
Body
Physical health is more important than ever. Taking care of your body is essential to overall health, and these 2020 trends will help you care for your body.
As a dermatologist, I am biased when I say skin care is paramount — but it is! Your skin is your most vulnerable organ.
Millennials are just beginning to appreciate the aging process. In 2020, more millennials will start to take better care of their skin before major skin aging becomes visible.
On top of that, with an increased customer base of millennials, cosmetic companies will have to hone in on sustainability practices. Millennials care about sustainability and natural ingredients more than Gen-Xers or Boomers, so it will be critical to appeal to them with more environment-friendly practices.
Since no one has the same skin as another person, customized skin care routines are catching on. No more copying a YouTube influencer’s routine — cosmetic companies are beginning to focus on catering to individual needs.
Vegan and vegetarian lifestyles are bound to be a huge trend in 2020. With Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods recently making names for themselves, the plant based food market can only grow from here.
Plant-based living is gaining popularity simultaneous to the global push for environmentalism. More sustainable ways of farming will be enhanced and rewarded this next year.
Finally, gut health is a 2020 trend I’m particularly excited for. These past few years, leaky gut syndrome has become more mainstream. Though many conventional physicians still hesitate to use the term, study after study confirms the importance of probiotics and your gut microbiome to support immune health.
Spirit
With the new year comes a new sense of self. As the years go by, you need to renew your spirit regularly. Here are some 2020 trends to benefit your spirit.
With public figures like Lizzo taking serious steps to promote body positivity, I see positive self image as an imminent 2020 trend.
Though the vast majority of adults have at least one social media account, “unplugging” is a more common phenomenon than ever. Whether for privacy concerns or for healthy spirit, people are unplugging in droves.
And since 2020 is an election year, social media is bound to devolve into a spirit-crushing experience. Perhaps 2020 is the time for all of us to take a break from the vitriol and unreality of social media.
About a quarter of Americans do not associate with any religion. However, more and more people are identifying as spiritual but not religious — practices which will continue to rise in 2020.
Interestingly, recent surveys revealed that more Americans find community and purpose in family and friends than in religion.
My Hope for 2020
Integrative medicine has come so far in this past year. Research keeps pouring in to let us in the wellness world know how to best take care of our mind, body, and spirit.
I think we are on the brink of a new age. In the near future, fewer doctors will scoff at patients’ families when they suggest IV vitamin C to avoid reperfusion injury. Fewer dentists will argue with their patients about the dangers of fluoride. And fewer dermatologists will refuse to suggest home remedies like medicinal mushrooms.
As the scientific evidence behind integrative medicine mounts, conventional medicine and integrative medicine will merge to a more complete or holistic medicine that encompasses the mind, body and spirit.
In Summary
- 2019 saw growth in the health and wellness economy. 2020 will keep with that trend and bring its own unique trends as well.
- CBD oil was one of the biggest trends of 2019.
- People will care more for their mental health in 2020. As it is less and less stigmatized, mental health care becomes more and more attainable.
- In 2020, more people will understand the benefits of a full night’s sleep.
- Blue light emissions awareness will increase. Blue light blocking glasses will sell more than ever.
- On top of ever-popular practices like acupuncture and meditation, ear seeding will see a lot of growth in 2020
- As far as physical health, people are taking better care of their bodies than ever.
- Skin care is obviously important to me. As more millennials age and discover the importance of skin care, companies will have to cater to a younger audience and put more sustainability practices into place.
- Veganism and vegetarianism will increase in 2020.
- Gut health has been gaining steam for a couple of years, and it will be more popular than ever in 2020.
- Spiritual health will be more important than ever. Election years tend to bring out the worst in some people. Focusing on yourself can help prevent spiritual illness.
- Positive body image will definitely be a 2020 trend.
- Unplugging from social media will gain popularity next year.
- More and more people will identify as spiritual but not religious.
Sources
- Feng, L., Cheah, I. K. M., Ng, M. M. X., Li, J., Chan, S. M., Lim, S. L., … & Halliwell, B. (2019). The association between mushroom consumption and mild cognitive impairment: a community-based cross-sectional study in Singapore. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, (Preprint), 1-7. Full text: http://www.naturalhealthresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Mushroom-Consumption-Delays-Mild-Cognitive-Impairment.pdf
- Choi, F. D., Sung, C. T., Juhasz, M. L., & Mesinkovsk, N. A. (2019). Oral collagen supplementation: a systematic review of dermatological applications. Journal of drugs in dermatology: JDD, 18(1), 9-16. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30681787
- Xu, D. H., Cullen, B. D., Tang, M., & Fang, Y. (2019). The Effectiveness of Topical Cannabidiol Oil in Symptomatic Relief of Peripheral Neuropathy of the Lower Extremities. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31793418