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- By Michelle Keenan
Cold plunges. Morning sunlight. Weighted vests. If you spend any time online, it can feel like there’s a new wellness trend popping up every week, all promising to change your life. And while some are genuinely beneficial, others can leave people feeling overwhelmed,
confused, or like they’re somehow failing at wellbeing because they’re not plunging into an
ice bath at 5am.
The reality is that good health is usually built on fairly simple foundations, and the basics still matter most. Moving every day, getting enough sleep, and a diet with plenty of whole foods are a great start. As far as wellness trends go, some of them are well-supported by
evidence, some of them have some promising evidence, and some of them seem to take off with little to no evidence behind them at all!
Morning sunlight is one trend that does have science behind it. Getting outside for even five
or ten minutes in natural light early in the day helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which
affects your sleep, energy, mood, and hormones. It’s simple, free, and effective, so go for a
short walk or sit on the deck to drink your cuppa if the weather allows.
Cold water exposure is a bit more mixed. You might find it energising or mentally refreshing, and there’s some evidence it may help build resilience over time, but the research has mostly been done on men and some experts believe it may be far less beneficial, and even have some negative effects, for women. If it feels good for you, great. If not, skip it.
And while we should be lifting weights for bone density, building and maintaining muscle,
healthy, strong joints, and better mobility, there’s no evidence to suggest that walking with a weighted vest will give us those same benefits. You’re better off getting into the gym twice a week, doing a full-body heavy weights routine (heavy means choosing weights you can only do 4-6 reps with), and enjoying your walk without the weighted vest.
The best wellness habits are not the trending ones; they’re the ones with proven benefits,
that fit into your real life, and that you can stick with consistently.
