In their Wheel of Wellness, a popular model used for conceptualizing dimensions of wellness, researchers Jane E. Myers, PhD, Thomas Sweeney, PhD, and J. Melvin Witmer, PhD, define wellness as “a way of life oriented toward optimal health and wellbeing… ideally it is the optimum state of health and well-being that each individual is capable of achieving.”¯ This encompasses all aspects of wellness including the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, environmental, financial and occupational. As we find our footing in 2025, a year that has already seen a large amount of unprecedented change, many people are looking toward new and beneficial ways to not only take care of their own health and wellness, but also our collective well-being. This March, the annual Global Wellness Summit’s (GWS) wellness trends report was released — the longest-running, most detailed forecast of what we can expect in health and wellness for the year ahead. The Future of Wellness: 2025 Trends° report shares what consumers are seeking globally and as a result, what businesses, governments and industries are providing them. The report is a compilation of trends that have met certain criteria identified by GWS wellness experts. To be included, these trends must: “Reflect major, long-term cultural or demographic shifts that will inevitably change the world and the world of wellness; tackle major crises in human and planetary health; impact the wellness of people beyond the one percent; and capture what is truly new but won’t be fleeting.” Of those trends, we highlighted the top four we feel will be most interesting and beneficial to our readers. Below is an edited summary of those trends as provided by GWS: Analog Wellness. In our world today, there’s a demand for slower, lowtech living. Most people are tired of disinformation, feeling manipulated by online content, and general brain and culture “rotting.” Apps keep getting more addictive, designed to keep us on our screens with siloed algorithms and hate speech creating more division. The report predicts 2025 will be the year more people don’t just engage in “digital detox” but get more aggressive about logging off and “analog-ing on.” Trailblazed by younger generations, there's a growing obsession with retro tech, and analog hobbies and experiences, that restore our attention and the sense of the tactile. This includes structured, super-social classes and clubs revolving around social ceramics studios, old-school game-playing clubs, intellectual "academic bars," and reading salons set to live music. These analog clubs and salons are giving fitness studios and pricey “social wellness clubs" competition as new grassroots third spaces. The analog-experience trends are also transforming travel. To many people, digital detox cabins in nature or phone-free adventure tours feel more aspirational than spa palaces. Retro-tech mania (for old-school cameras, vinyl records and vintage typewriters) is hitting resorts, from "deep listening" vinyl record nights in saunas, to swapping guests' phones for "digital detox kits" that contain Polaroid cameras, paper maps and board games. Wellness resorts are also launching sophisticated analog arts programming: painting, ceramics, calligraphy and writing workshops, as well as preindustrial experiences like learning blacksmithing and wheat milling. While digital detox and analog-living trends have been gaining traction for years, people are now prioritizing them less for their trendy nostalgia and more for an urgent need to return to a human "retro future." Longevity Redefines Work. The report states that, while many might find it hard to believe, the fastest-growing workforce age group globally is now made up of those over 75 years old. Many factors are driving people to work longer including the vast knowledge and resources they hold, their financial needs, global and national labor needs, and the four percent gross domestic product (GDP) boost available to countries for every year of increased work participation. This trend explores seismic shifts happening in the workforce around what roles we'll fill, how long we'll stay, and how we'll adapt. Experts acknowledge that health and wellbeing will play a major role in productivity, satisfaction and longevity for older populations in the workforce. To support these workers, it will be essential for governments and businesses to implement wellness initiatives, health-focused policies and age-inclusive strategies. This will also boost productivity and foster intergenerational collaboration. By incorporating wellness and technological innovations, businesses and governments won’t just improve retention, increase satisfaction, and minimize barriers — they will create a cultural transformation and help all workers thrive together for longer. Teen Wellness. Many teenagers today are facing “diseases of despair,” a phrase coined by Columbia University professor in the Clinical Psychology Program Lisa Miller, PhD, when referring to anxiety, depression, addiction and suicidality. Loneliness has also seen a sharp rise among this population as teens are more connected digitally, less connected emotionally, and mentally exhausted. Many factors, including climate and financial crises, technology, mass shootings and the far-reaching effects of social media have shaped their experiences. According to Child Psychiatrist Sami Timini, MD, we should look at what’s happening with teens as not just an indication of the mental health of the individual, but as a “barometer pointing to something ‘unhealthy’ in the society and culture that invented it.” A sedentary lifestyle and habits of eating ultra-processed foods are also impacting this younger generation. To help them live more balanced lives and make healthy choices into their future, various therapies such as sound healing, meditation and nature immersion are being offered to teens through retreats, resorts and educational apps and programs for urban Medical News The Valley's Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 5 www.DesertHealthNews.com March/April 2025 Continued on page 10 www.palmspringsendodontics.com www.ranchomirageendodontics.com www.jordanptcenter.com www.palmspringsendodontics.com www.ranchomirageendodontics.com Laser Endodontic Treatment Laser energy enhances the effect of disinfectants used in the canals, further eliminating bacterial infection. Ozone Therapy for Endodontics An advanced preventative therapy that fights off bacteria and pathogens which typically cause most oral health problems. Cone Beam CT Scan Cutting-edge 3D imaging of teeth, nerve pathways, soft tissue and bone that allows for a more accurate diagnosis and treatment of dental infections. 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When workers of all generations thrive in their roles, we all benefit. Top Wellness Trends for 2025 By Wendy Fink
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