Six unique wellness trends for 2024, from sleep hypnosis to tantric yoga
The new year is just around the corner, which means many of us will be setting New Year Resolutions and thinking of new things we want to try that will set a happy, healthy tone for 2024.
As previous surveys have shown, wellness continues to be a high priority for Britons who want to take better care of their physical and mental wellbeing. Activities like pilates and cold water swimming have been popular over the past year, as well as different types of meditation and relaxation techniques.
But there are some, more unorthodox wellness trends that have been growing in popularity. As Britons open their curiosity up to explore new experiences, these unusual trends are predicted to become more mainstream in the coming year.
According to search analysis by activewear brand Oceans Apart, the top standout wellness trend is sleep hypnosis meditation – a form of guided meditation that practitioners claim will help you achieve better quality sleep.
Others include "third eye meditation", which is gaining a large following on social media platforms like TikTok, as well as tantric yoga and silent retreats.
Watch: Four wellness trends that need to be on your radar
These are the top six wellness trends that are set to get big in 2024, and what they are.
1. Sleep hypnosis meditation
This trend has seen a 65% increase in searches over the last three months, and has more than 25,300 views on TikTok. It refers to a "guided practice that combines elements of hypnosis and meditation".
Those who approve of the meditation claim it can help "induce a state of deep relaxation, facilitating a smoother transition into sleep" by alleviating insomnia and promoting restful sleep, therefore improving the quality of your sleep.
2. Third eye meditation
While it may be one of the more 'out there' trends, third eye meditation has seen significant interest on TikTok, where the term has garnered more than 655.3k views. There has also been a 62% increase in search for the trend, indicating that more people are curious about how it works.
The practice focuses on the "third eye" or Ajna chakra – which is part of an "energy system" that originates from ancient Hindu philosophical texts called the Vedas.
The "third eye" is located between the eyebrows and is said to enhance intuition and inner awareness. People who swear by this meditation claim it helps them create deeper connections with their intuition, promote mental clarity and facilitate spiritual growth.
3. Tantric yoga
This form of yoga is rooted in ancient Indian traditions and aims to "cultivate a union of mind, body and spirit". Practitioners use it to explore their energy, breath and meditation techniques with the goal of enhancing self-awareness, intimacy and a "deeper connection with the divine".
4. Humanistic therapy
With a 52% increase in searches for humanistic therapy in the last three months, it's clear that many people are interested in exploring types of talk therapy that could help them work through issues and reach their full potential.
According to the Counselling Directory, this type of therapy is focused on self-development, growth and responsibilities and aims to help individuals recognise their "strengths, creativity and choice".
It is "based on the belief that we all naturally gravitate towards goodness" and have the ability to achieve our goals with the right support.
5. Somatic therapy
Somatic therapy combines body and mind-focused therapeutic approaches, in order to "reconnect with our physical self to understand the emotional self", the Counselling Directory explains.
It is a more physical form of therapy which differs from talk therapy. "Our feelings are thought to impact our bodies physically and the idea behind somatic therapy is to identify and release negative emotions that have become stuck in our bodies," the website says.
6. Silent retreats
Silent retreats have been around for a long time, but interest in them has begun to spike, with a 45% increase in searches recently. It involves participants going on a retreat – usually surrounded by nature – where they refrain from verbal communication in order to focus inwards and be mindful of their own thoughts and feelings.
The practice is believed to help participants "cultivate inner peace, heightened self-awareness, and a deeper connection to the present moment, often achieved through meditation and contemplative activities".
With our increasingly busy lives, as well as constant noise from social media and other forms of media that surround us day to day, silent retreats can provide a welcome relief from it all.
Read more about wellness:
How to avoid a post-Christmas crash and look after your mental health (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
The top health and wellness trends for 2024, including family workouts and AI plans (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)
The health benefits of Tiktok’s latest #silentwalking wellness trend (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
