Consider how meditation has evolved from a discipline focused on mental well-being to today assisting persons suffering from pain and physical maladies. And how people are increasingly interested in the emotional aspects of fitness, such as how a workout will make them feel and live better rather than how it will make them appear.

RoundGlass, a global Wholistic health and wellness brand, has identified cutting-edge wellness trends for 2023.

Prakriti Poddar, Global Head, Mental Health and well-being, RoundGlass, says, "The world is shifting to a multidisciplinary approach when it comes to well-being. This includes emotional and social well-being instead of strictly following 'the life of the solitary mind'. We're seeing an increase in spirituality and other therapeutic interventions that individuals are opting for when it comes to wellbeing." The wellness trends have been identified by Prakriti and Dr. David Vago, Lead Research at RoundGlass.

Dr. David Vago, Lead, Research, RoundGlass adds, "New research shows that meditation has moved from being an activity centred on improving focus and relaxation to helping people manage pain and with physical ailments as well."

Furthermore, as a leader in the well-being space, RoundGlass's five new wellness trends for 2023 can be incorporated into one's daily life. These trends are applicable to individuals across age groups, for focused needs that one might have. Some of these trends are:

Immersive and Healing Sound: Healing through sound is expected to gain more traction in 2023. Soundscapes, including binaural beats, 3-D spatial audio, and isochronic tones can help in stimulating and entertaining the brain to reduce anxiety, facilitate relaxation, improve concentration, and promote healing. In fact, therapeutic playlists are now being composed for clinical and hospitality settings.

Rise of Rest: 2023 is going to be about slowing down and taking a pause. People will choose soothing sound baths and restorative yoga over HIIT (high-intensity interval training) classes and hustle culture. There is also an ever-greater emphasis on sleep as the ultimate form of self-care. If it is a technology that has robbed you of your sleep, it is sleep technology with its aides and gadgets that will help you get eight hours of restful slumber. Choose from a wide variety of apps that offer sleep stories and sleep meditations and download them to rest, reset and revitalize.

The Emotional Side of Fitness: There's been a positive shift in the ethos of today's fitness world, from "how will this workout make me look?" to "how will this workout make me feel and live a better life?" People are becoming interested in workouts that support their emotional well-being and mental health while helping relieve the effects of day-to-day stress.

Mind-Body Therapies: Some of these have lingered on the fringe of wellness spaces but are now gaining credibility with new evidence supporting their impact on health and wellness. Float tanks: Remember the 'sensory deprivation' tanks in Stranger Things? Well, they are having a moment. These tanks contain water mixed with Epsom salt that makes it easy for the bodies to float in them and can help you improve your mental well-being. A study found that participants reported significant reductions in stress, muscle tension, pain, and depression, accompanied by a significant improvement in mood after one hour of floatation session. Cryotherapy and cold-immersion therapy: Athletes have used ice baths for years to deal with inflammation and muscle aches. Recent studies are now showing that they are also effective for reducing cardiovascular strain, decreased blood flow, and reduced tissue metabolism. Cold immersion therapy is being used for the treatment of migraines and mood disorders, for reducing dementia, and for enhancing immune system responses.

Meditation for Physical Wellbeing: We all know that meditation helps our mental well-being but now a growing amount of scientific data is showing that this well-being practice is also helping people manage pain and physical ailments. A recent study published in July 2022 in the journal PAIN, showed that mindfulness meditation reduced the perception of pain by up to 33 percent.

To help people follow these trends, RoundGlass's Living App is enabling access to authentic well-being content on meditation and mindfulness, and yoga created by some of the best teachers in the world such as Nithya Shanti, Sunaina Rekhi and Mansi Mahajan. It also explores well-being through food and music and provides access to healthy recipes, music for meditation, sleep, and more. (SJ/IANS)