5 nature-inspired wellness trends to try in 2021

Health and wellness trends have become a much bigger part of our lives than ever before. Everything from our morning routines, to the way we travel, and how we work out has come under review – there’s been a wellness movement that’s well and truly here to stay.

With more people seeking open spaces and the great outdoors to practice wellness, trend data shows a huge uplift in searches around activities such as wild swimming and earthing. PaulCamper has put together a list of some of the wellness trends that are picking up in popularity for 2021.

Wild Swimming

Searches for “wild water swimming” have seen a 130% increase over the past 12 months worldwide, and in the UK, searches for “wild swimming Scotland” have risen by 900%.

This popular wellness trend encourages you to make the most of the swimming pools nature has on offer – glistening lakes, freshwater rivers and the open sea. It’s the physical sensation you get from wild swimming that’s said to be good for your mental well-being, giving you a refreshing shock to the system!

Earthing/grounding

Earthing or grounding refers to the act of connecting with nature through its electrical energy, and it’s much easier than it sounds. Earthing allows you to truly let go of day-to-day stresses and focuses on relieving the pressures of modern technology – helping you to feel calmer and more centred. The trend has a whole load of physical and mental benefits too. It’s known to help beat chronic fatigue, insomnia and even reduce anxiety levels.

“Earthing or grounding” searches have experienced an uplift of 300% over the past year, showing that 18 months stuck indoors has persuaded more people to reconnect with nature.

Breathwork

Referring to breathing techniques and exercises to help your mind and body focus, breathwork has become a go-to wellness trend for the masses, so much so that searches have increased by 950% over 12 months!

With so many different types of breathwork to try – it’s easy to get started and find the one that works for you. The beauty of breathwork is that when practising, nowhere is off-limits. You can relieve stress and tension by sitting at the park, listening to the ocean waves, or just as easily when making your morning coffee.

Digital Detoxing

Digital detoxing isn’t exactly a new wellness trend, but it’s picked up again since we’ve found ourselves at home more, immersed in our technology.

Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist and sleep expert at And So To Bed, explains why phones may be affecting our sleep:  “Blue light is the frequency that our eyes are looking for to tell us what time it is. When you’re on your phone late, it’s effectively flooding your eyes with “bright sunshine” and telling your brains it’s the middle of the day.

“This has a knock-on effect as when you put your phone down to go to bed, your brain is telling you ‘you don’t need to go to sleep’ because it doesn’t think it’s night-time.”

Scream Therapy

Fancy getting all of that repressed anger and built-up emotion out in the middle of a field? Screaming therapy has known benefits to overcome trauma and letting off steam. It’s exactly what it says on the tin – screaming at the top of your lungs, without any consequences or strange looks. Finding a peaceful space out in the open is key to expressing yourself if you’re struggling with overcoming something.