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12 Health & Wellness Trends To Watch In 2020
Every December since 2011, mindbodygreen has penned our predictions for the next big trends in well-being. We called the rise of the keto diet back in 2016, the intermittent fasting boom in 2017, and the ubiquity of ayurveda last year. Looking out onto the next decade, our team is betting that these are the 12 things you're about to be talking about with your friends, family, and doctors:
1. The age of cellular beauty will arrive.
For so long, skin care only meant topicals. Then it evolved to include diet and lifestyle. Now? Highly scientific supplements. Welcome to the dawn of cellular beauty, proving once and for all that beauty really does come from the inside out.
2. Nutrition science will come to a head.
In 2019, the plant-based meat market saw unprecedented growth, driven by major players like Burger King and Dunkin' Donuts adding alt-meat menu items nationwide. But, while beef-less burgers were going mainstream, and Big Food was jumping on the plant-based wagon, we were hit with yet another confusing nutrition study, claiming red meat might not be so bad for us after all. In 2020 we're clearing up the confusion and getting to the bottom of nutrition science. Think less clickbait, more context and clarity.
3. Eco-anxiety will be on the rise—but that's not a bad thing.
Another year of record-setting storms has put the term "eco-anxiety" on the map. As more people grapple with fear about the future of our planet, we're guessing that sustainable activism will soar to new heights in 2020—and it will be led largely by younger generations.
4. In the dawn of burnout, downtime will be productive time.
More and more, we're waking up to the fact that chronic, prolonged stress—while common—isn't normal, which is why we all need to start to rethink "downtime" as, in fact, productive time.
5. "Dopamine fasting" will be the new trend in tech.
File this one under "Trends we've been predicting for years." Dopamine fasting has taken off in Silicon Valley, but it has its roots in something we've been talking about forever: digital detoxing. Next year, expect more "airplane mode" in the name of mental health.
6. Mainstream brands will embrace sustainable packaging.
In 2019, consumers proved they are eager to reward companies that limit their plastic use. In 2020, expect to see more big players—the Unilevers, P&Gs, and PepsiCo's of the world—grappling with how to deliver their products around the planet in packaging that isn't going to kill it.
7. We'll leave the term "anti-aging" in 2019, where it belongs.
We are no longer fighting the external signs of aging; we are slowing the internal signs. It's time to start talking about healthy aging and how to optimize your body for the long term.
8. The parenting focus will be on raising kind, independent kids.
Helicopter parenting was born of the best intentions, but slowly experts came to realize it might come with unintended consequences like increased anxiety, stress, and even developmental delays. Now, parents and child care experts will start to embrace a more laissez-faire lifestyle.
9. The keto diet will be more accessible than ever.
Full fat is here to stay, and the keto market is poised to grow by $1.11 billion (yes, with a B) over the next four years. We suspect that the next iteration of keto will look a little different, though, with tools and tricks that make it easier to incorporate into any lifestyle.
10. The way we discuss and approach death will change.
Traditionally, we only talk about death when we have to—namely, when it's happening to us or someone we love, or once it's already happened. But in recent years, we've seen the way society thinks about death changing—so much so, that in the year 2020, we expect death to become an integral part of wellness.
11. New, clean cereals will take over the grocery aisle.
The sugary, processed cereals of childhood are getting a healthy makeover thanks to companies like Catalina Crunch, Magic Spoon, and The Cereal School.
12. The backlash to wellness will push us toward true well-being.
These days it's easy to confuse wellness with $14 green juices and expensive yoga studios, but that's not the wellness mindbodygreen has celebrated since its founding in 2009. Now more than ever, we need to go back to the basics of health: real food, consistent movement, and mindfulness.
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