5 Wellness Trends to Look Out For in 2020

As 2019 winds down, it’s time to look to 2020. What's to come in the new year? What wellness trends can we expect? As part of the Mindbody Wellness Index, we crunched the numbers to find out. Here are our wellness trend predictions for the coming year.

1. Experiential wellness rising: People want to experience wellness like never before

Whether it’s booking a new class or service on a whim or planning a whole trip around wellness, there’s no denying it: Come 2020, people want to experience wellness. No matter where they are. 

Wellness is more than just an appointment squeezed into a busy day. In many cases, it’s an event all its own. In fact, 47% of Americans surveyed attended a wellness event or experience last year—and 55% want to attend at least one this year. 

Top three wellness experiences people want to try in 2020:

1. Spa retreat (24% want to try)

2. Nutrition/cleansing event (16%)

3. Wellness festival (15%)

And travelers are already embracing wellness. Thirty percent book fitness, beauty, or wellness services at least half of the time they’re away from home. We’ll see a lot more of this next year. 

In 2020 wellness businesses will focus on creating ultimate physical-meets-mental-meets-emotional experiences. Think educational workshops, sensory immersion retreats, and other events that tie in multiple dimensions of wellness. One of our favorites is Camp Yoga—a 3-day immersive camp in stunning locations with yoga, outdoor activities...and wine!

2. Lashin’ is in fashion: 2020 will bump up the volume in lashes (and lash services)

Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe she’s one of the 30% who get regular professional lash services. Lash services are booming in beauty, and don’t expect that to slow down in 2020. Lash services are in high demand—with eyelash extensions being the most popular, followed by lash tinting and lash lifts. 

What’s driving the lash trend? 

Top motivators for getting professional lash treatments: 

1. To feel more confident (51%)
2. To try something new (41%)
3. For a special event (38%)
4. To eliminate the need for mascara or fake lashes (36%) 
5. To save time on make-up routine (29%)
6. It’s part of my regular routine (20%)

Those who aren’t already in the lash game are eager to join, too. Forty-three percent want to try lash extensions, 38% lash tinting, and 36% lash lifts. Both women and men alike want to treat their lashes. Nearly a quarter of men say they want to try lash extensions.

Lash bars are sure to be the new blow dry bars. Expect to see more lash studios pop up in 2020 to meet increasing demand. And memberships aren’t just for gyms anymore. Boutique lash studios like Deka Lash offer packages, as well as memberships, that make it easy to keep up with a luxe lash look. There’s no stopping lashes now.

3. Sleep goes luxe: 2020 is the year of the nap

Turns out America and Post Malone’s face have at least one thing in common. Sixty percent of Americans say they’re frequently exhausted at work. Nearly 22% say they regularly nap in their cars during the week. We’re declaring 2020 (finally) as the year of the nap. 

Though the majority say they’re more productive after a midday nap, few employers encourage them. More workplaces are focusing on wellness...can this extend to nap time? Almost 71% of people want to try nap pods at the office. So far, though, only 16% of workers say their companies offer a place for shuteye. 

The demand for nap bars and nap pods is growing. In fact, 54% of us want to try nap bars (like The Dreamery by Casper or NuCalm by RēCOVER) for some midday Zs. On average, survey respondents reported taking 2.1 naps a week. However, only a small fraction of people (17%) have actually tried a nap bar or nap pod. What’s been stopping wannabe nappers from booking midday dozes? Limited access to nap bars. 

It’ll be hard for companies to sleep on this trend much longer. Sleep affects multiple dimensions of wellness and is critical for employee productivity. We’ll see what nap-pens in 2020.

4. Emotional wellness: Wellness goes multidimensional

While we’d love to improve our health across all dimensions of wellness, the reality is that we have to prioritize our efforts. What dimension will people will focus on most in 2020? Emotional wellness. While we’ll, of course, have a renewed focus on physical wellness in January, 2020 will be dedicated to our emotional needs. A big part of emotional wellness is all about being able to express and acknowledge one’s feelings. Talking to a therapist or confiding in a close friend are a couple of ways to boost emotional wellness. 

On average, people say they spend 3.4 hours a week on their emotional wellness. In 2020, they’re looking to bump that to an average of 3.6 hours. This year, we predict that more fitness classes and wellness treatments will incorporate mindfulness and emotional healing—making it that much easier to commit to this important wellness dimension. Heal Haus, a wellness business in Brooklyn, offers classes like “breathwork for self-forgiveness” and “heart coherence meditation” to encourage holistic wellness and provide a space for emotional growth. 

When asked to rank which dimensions are hardest to prioritize, respondents said physical wellness was the hardest. Emotional wellness? The second hardest. Challenge accepted.

5. Integrative health: Road to recovery

Michael Phelps gave us cupping. Mark Wahlberg made us fall in love with cryotherapy. What’s next in integrative health and alternative medicine? 

With the popularity of intense workouts, we all need a way to recover. Survey respondents say they’re most eager to try meditation, breathing, visualization, and guided imagery in 2020. 

We know what you’re thinking: meditation is SO 1500 BCE. There’s a reason it has some staying power. Meditation can boost emotional wellness and help people maintain positive emotions for longer periods of time (let’s hear it for 2020 wellness trends!). Meditation was the most popular form of integrative health last year, with 18% of people having practiced it. Dedicated spaces like The DEN and Inscape welcome seasoned meditators and beginners alike. With so many having meditation on their mind, expect to see more of these spaces pop up. 

Bodies need to heal too, though. Following meditation, people are most eager to try acupuncture and acupressure—both of which can help with pain and promote self-healing. Sixty-eight percent say integrative health/alternative medicine is a good complement to modern medicine.

In 2020, we’ll see more healing of both the body and mind through integrative health. In fact, 69% notice a significant change in their mood after getting integrative health/alternative medicine services. Hey, if meditation is good enough for Jennifer Aniston, it’s good enough for us.