The wellness trends to know in 2024
From mind-altering medicine to hi-tech health, these trends will shape the world of wellness in 2024.
Generative artificial intelligence has become a huge focus for the medical world and will continue to be in 2024 thanks to its potential applications in areas such as diagnostics, health monitoring and disease prediction.
Generative artificial intelligence has become a huge focus for the medical world and will continue to be in 2024 thanks to its potential applications in areas such as diagnostics, health monitoring and disease prediction.
When it comes to health and wellness, this technology is set to boom in 2024 thanks to its potential use in areas such as nutrition, fitness and beauty. From AI-generated food and exercise plans to the use of conversational AI to identify suitable skincare products and supplement regimens, its application knows no bounds.
Thanks to wearables such as the Apple Watch and Oura fitness rings, the technology can collate and process data on everything from our sleep patterns and heart rate to fitness levels and even menstrual cycles, offering real-time feedback on how to best improve and support our health.
Psychedelics
There has been a lot of noise in recent years around psychedelic substances and their potential to treat mental health conditions.
And right now, Australia has the attention of the global scientific community after becoming the first country in the world to allow the use of psychedelics for medicinal use at a federal level.
On July 1, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration downgraded the psychedelic substances 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin from Schedule 9 Prohibited Substances to Schedule 8 Controlled Drugs, enabling authorised psychiatrists to prescribe them to patients with treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
While only a small number of psychiatrists have been given authorisation to prescribe the substances, the change has reignited interest around psychedelics and their potential uses for combating various mental health disorders.
Anti-ageing
Science is making significant progress towards discovering how genes influence species’ lifespans and the potential ways to increase them, however there is still a ways to go before this knowledge leads to significant leaps in our own average life expectancy.
But the field of anti-ageing has drawn huge interest from the tech and wellness worlds as people look for ways to improve our chances of living healthier for longer.
“Anti-ageing is an emerging and new field of medicine and will no doubt produce more evidence-based results in the near future,” says Dr David Badov, medical director of HealthScreen, a preventative health clinic in Melbourne. “There is currently a lot of research done, mainly in [the] USA in both animal models and human clinical trials …“I think however that we have to be careful how we assess all this in a scientific and evidence-based way.”
The type 2 diabetes drug metformin, intermittent fasting and reducing sugar and meat intake are some of the ageing decelerators which have been identified by longevity experts such as Lifespan author Professor David Sinclair.
“I think data-driven metrics are the next big thing in anti-ageing medicine … and measuring people’s biological age,” says Christa Nicola, who runs Purus, a longevity coaching clinic in Sydney. “People want to know what they are doing is working and they want to see the results.”
Alternative energy
As we become aware of the problems associated with relying on caffeine for our daily energy needs, more of us are looking for coffee alternatives which don’t disrupt our sleep or stress our adrenals.
One area being investigated is the use of nootropics, a group of medicinal substances used to enhance cognitive function. B vitamins, the amino acids creatine and l-theanine and adaptogenic herbs such as rhodiola and ashwagandha are some of the nootropics which have been linked to improved performance and stamina.
“Adaptogens help the body adapt to stress and improve overall health and becoming increasingly popular among people who are looking for natural ways to manage stress and improve their energy levels,” says MECCA Business Development Manager Carly Russell, who adds that nootropics are also becoming increasingly popular “among people who are looking to boost their memory, focus, and creativity”.
One of the latest supplements to gain attention for its natural energising potential is mango leaf extract, a compound which contains high levels of the polyphenol mangiferin. In a double blind study involving 50 adults, a combination of Zynamite (a standardised mangiferin extract) and the antioxidant quercetin was shown to improve exercise performance and muscle oxygen extraction.
Another coffee alternative gaining attention is Yerba Mate, a traditional South American beverage made from the plant iIlex paraguariensis. It does caffeine but is also rich in antioxidants and studies have shown it may help reduce blood pressure and support weight loss.
Personalised retreats
The one size fits all approach to health retreats is waning, with guests eschewing the idea of highly regimented itineraries and group activities in favour of targeted and personalised experiences based on their goals and preferences.
At retreats such as RAKxa Integrative Wellness in Thailand, which offers a mix of traditional Ayurvedic, Thai and Chinese medicine and modern therapies guests can choose to combine each based on their health goals.
“Whether it is, combining physiotherapy exercises with traditional treatments such as acupuncture, or colon hydrotherapy with a healing stomach massage, or cooking personalised meals based on our client’s food intolerance test, we believe all the elements at RAKxa should combine to create enhanced health benefits for our customers,” explains Wsinee Sukjaroenkraisri, the retreat’s Executive Vice President Business Strategy.
Zensi Retreat’s Ruby Chapman says retreats are also no longer just for those wanting to improve their physical health, but rather an option for travellers wanting an alternative to the standard hotel experience.
“Whether that’s time away with the people you love, space to slow down or focus on goals, or simply indulge in an environment that makes you feel truly cared for,” she says.
‘Wellness moments’ & inside-out beauty
The interplay between our internal health and how it affects our skin and hair has led to one of the biggest booms in the personal care market; wellness-led beauty.
The category, once confined to the shelves of niche health stores, is now a huge focus for beauty companies looking to cater for more health-conscious, knowledgeable consumers.
Ingestible and topical products containing skin-supporting herbs and supplements have experienced rapid growth in recent years, but the latest evolution - predicted to dominate the beauty conversation in 2024 - is the rise of aromatherapy skincare and beauty tools.
“Since the pandemic, we have seen customers increasingly embrace mindfulness and prioritising wellness moments, and we are seeing this come through in the form of aromatherapy in skincare,” says MECCA Head of Category – Skincare Maia Bryant. “Brands such as KORRES, Omorovicza, and Tatcha are all harnessing the power of aroma for customers to not only benefit their skin but to also make it a moment to re-centre ahead of a busy day,”
Tailor Skin operations manager Stacey Robinson says in 2023 the spotlight was on ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and retinols but in 2024 there will be “a shift towards skincare ingredients such as melatonin, probiotics, and cutting-edge acids”.
“Melatonin, a potent antioxidant, is expected to gain traction for its ability to boost natural repair processes during sleep and fight damage from oxidative stress, and with trends focused on nurturing a healthy skin microbiome and strengthening the skin’s barrier, we will see probiotics take centre stage,” she says.
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