While the same wellness advice always holds true — eat well, move your body, dedicate some stress-free time for you — it’s always good to spice up your routine a bit.
This year, we invite you to focus on your skin (below your neck), stimulate your vagus nerve (we’ll explain), amp up your walks (and your conversations), book a slow getaway (to anywhere), and bust out the badminton rackets (finally!).
Here are 7 top wellness trends for 2024 that will inspire you to move — and slow down.
Bodycare Boosting
There’s a seemingly endless amount of skincare products available. (And we’re not complaining!) But all the cleansers, toners, exfoliators, mists, masks, serums, oils, and more are mostly aimed at the face. Why should we ignore the skin below the neckline? It deserves just as much attention. We suggest investing in a nutrient-rich body cream, indulging in a therapeutic body scrub, taking luxurious bubble baths, and nourishing your decolletage with a balm like this.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
With so many of our lives on overdrive, a little sense of calm is always welcome. Fortunately, the solution may already be inside you. The vagus nerve is the main player in the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the “rest and digest” functions. It complements the sympathetic nervous system, which activates the “fight-or-flight” response.
Stimulating the vagus nerve can help promote relaxation, aid digestion, and improve mood, among other benefits. Medical treatments, which involve electric impulses, have been used to help treat epilepsy and depression. However, you can naturally stimulate the vagus nerve by taking deep and slow belly breaths, humming your favorite tune, or gargling some water. Laughter, too, will give it a nice jolt.
Rucking
Looking to amp up your walking routine? Simple. Try “rucking.” This low-impact form of exercise only requires one extra piece of equipment: a weighted backpack. Start with a low weight and slowly build up from there. The extra weight will help you burn more calories, improve your endurance, strengthen your legs, and even improve your posture (make sure the backpack is fitted for your body so that it will naturally pull your shoulders back). Here are some other tips to make sure you are walking with good posture (like wearing a posture bra!).
Cycle Syncing
A trend we never want to go away? Listening to your body. Like, really listening to it. Apps that allow you to track your periods are a great way to recognize patterns and detect any issues in your menstrual cycle. Along with recording the days of your period, start noting how you feel, emotionally and physically, on a daily basis. Are you experiencing cramps, bloating, fatigue? Are you feeling exceptionally good? Note it all. You may start to see daily and weekly patterns that align with your cycle. The more you understand your body, the more you can do to reduce PMS symptoms, balance your hormones, and improve your mood.
Badminton Fever
Move over pickleball, an old backyard fave is back in the spotlight. Badminton is a low-impact game that only requires a little space, a net, a birdie, and some rackets — along with a few willing companions to join in the fun. Badminton may not offer the same sweat-inducing workout as tennis or pickleball, but it still can get your heart rate up and improve your balance and agility. It’s also just a great change of pace from your usual social outing. Don’t forget to wear your Etalon Posture Bra to help you move with ease and style!
Conversation Starters
The simple art of having a good conversation will simply never die. Post-pandemic, the urge to forge real, honest connections is stronger than ever. But sometimes you need a little help getting the conversation started. Fortunately, there are a number of games and apps available to help you move beyond stale topics like the weather, whether you’re hanging out with a new acquaintance or your significant other. A quick search for conversation starter cards or games will give you an array of choices. You can also download an app like Party Qs for immediate convo kick-starters.
Slow Travel Escapes
Travel has had its own kind of renaissance post-pandemic, some say for the worst. An estimated 975 million tourists traveled internationally between January and September 2023, an increase of 38% from 2022 [1]. Fears of overtourism in many popular destinations have grown substantially. We think the best way to combat this trend is to start another one: slow travel. This can mean going on a wellness-focused escape, like a yoga or meditation retreat, or booking a “staycation” hotel package. It can also mean spending more time in just one location to fully immerse yourself in its food, culture, and lifestyle.
Don’t forget to bring along your Etalon Posture Bra, a must-have slow travel item to support you on your journey. Even NBC Select agrees! They selected Etalon as one of the best posture correctors to support your health goals this year.
