On the surface level, the wellness industry sounds like it is just spa and fitness gyms, but it is vaster than that. At the very core, wellness is any activity that helps condition the mind to a place of zen. From acupuncture to dance workouts, humans do several things to de-stress. This New Year, experts have predicted a trend of those activities that are bound to be recurrent throughout the year. Here are some of the predicted wellness trends of 2023.

1. Facial Yoga

Facial yoga, or face yoga, is a routine made up of massages and exercises that help to stimulate the muscles, skin, and lymphatic system around your facial area. It’s thought to soften and relax your facial muscles, relieving the visual signs of tension, stress and worry.

2. Digital Detox

A study by Leeds University revealed that, on average, Brits spend about 11 hours looking at screens each day. Our increased dependency on smartphones, tablets and laptops is making many people reconsider their relationship with their electronic devices – and in 2023, this will give rise to the digital detox.

3. Micro Workouts

Micro workouts are on the rise, evident in the rise of quick, one-minute dances and fitness challenges you find on TikTok. Removing the time barrier to exercise is a major factor in the growing popularity of this wellness trend. This bite-size, low-intensity format makes squeezing movement into more moments throughout the day easier. It might include a morning dance with your favourite influencer, a quick set of push-ups and squats before lunch, and an evening yoga session to help you wind down and de-stress. These short takes on fitness add up to big results and are a delightful and fun way to get moving.

4. Sleep Syncing

As the quest for a better night’s sleep continues, we’ll see circadian eating—switching from heavy evening meals to afternoon ‘light’ eating—grow in popularity. Not only will we avoid super heavy food late in the day, but we’ll also see new sleep aid ingredients on the block, like glycine join our bedtime skincare lineup and a big tech switch-off before bed to avoid nightmares.

5. Openness Around Diagnosis

While year over year, this has certainly improved, in 2022, more people were taking to TikTok to share their mental health diagnoses—whether it’s what prompted them to get help for bipolar disorder or how ADHD presents in them. While the stigma is not gone, these videos and posts have helped reduce it. They help put a real-life face to some diagnoses that hold a stigma—like autism or postpartum depression. It’s also an excellent way to remind those living with any conditions that evidence-based treatments can change your life.
It’s important to remember that you can’t count on TikTok for an official diagnosis; that needs to come from a medical professional. But you can seek out education, community and support on the app.

6. The Abandonment of the Strong Black Woman Stereotype

By no means is the “strong Black woman” stereotype gone, but on social media, Black women are ridding themselves of this idea and the pressure that comes with it. Historically, the strong Black woman narrative has been the reality for many Black matriarchs, but it comes at a cost. That wear and tear can be tremendous, leaving them fatigued, unhappy with their life, and even physically ill. Instead, as proven in this social media shift, Black women realise they don’t have to do it all—you can ask for help, hire help, and say no. Ending this do-it-all attitude opens them to experience vulnerability, softness, ease, and peace—all the things they deserve to have a full life. And this doesn’t mean you can’t pull strength when you need it; it simply means you don’t always have to hold everything on your shoulders with no support.

Kehindé Fagbule
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Self-identifies as a middle child between millennials and the gen Z, began writing as a 14 year-old. Born and raised in Lagos where he would go on to obtain a degree in the University of Lagos, he mainly draws inspiration from societal issues and the ills within. His "live and let live" mantra shapes his thought process as he writes about lifestyle from a place of empathy and emotional intelligence. When he is not writing, he is very invested in football and sociopolitical commentary on social media.