Wellness is undergoing an evolution. Once exemplified by a rigid and narrow definition of physical fitness, wellness has shifted to encompass several overlapping and intersectional aspects of health. Today, wellness addresses not only the state of the body, but also the state of the mind. Health routines are growing more dynamic. We no longer view a thin body as the ultimate indicator of health. In addition to maintaining physical fitness routines, wellness now extends to mindfulness and maintaining a regular sleep schedule.
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How Wellness is Changing
The concept of health and wellness is expanding
Our ideas around fitness and appearances are also shifting. We are learning that fitness is not a one-size-fits-all paradigm. According to a recent study 84% of people don’t ascribe to a one-size-fits-all approach to health. Fitness looks different for every body, and wellness can only be determined by the person pursuing it. The belief that weight loss determines fitness denies the real examples of fitness that populate the new world of wellness. In their own fitness journey, each person must learn what wellness looks and feels like to them. A healthier lifestyle often starts on the inside, with methods for mindfulness like meditation, mental health conditioning, and a healthy sleep schedule. Wearable technology like a Fitbit enables individuals to pursue the level of fitness that best suits them.
More and more, individuals seeking wellness are paying attention to their own bodies’ responsiveness to different factors beyond physical activity. In the same study cited above, 40% of respondents most equated their emotional wellbeing with their overall health and wellness. Mental and emotional states influence our physical health in ways that are difficult to measure in the short term, but the consequences can be far reaching. Tuning into the various states that define wellness—the physical, emotional, and mental—increases our awareness about our own bodies. This awareness makes it easier to create the greatest conditions for wellness. By listening to what our own bodies communicate, we are actively investing in our own wellbeing.
Developing this awareness can be difficult to achieve and maintain. Wearable technology like a Fitbit allows users to actively engage with their physical and emotional state. Athlete, filmmaker, and photographer Jimmy Chin uses his Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Premium for guided meditations to help ground him during busy, stressful days. Ultra runner and fitness advocate Latoya Shauntey Snell uses her Fitbit to check in with her body while she’s running—as a reminder of how far she has to go, and as a way to reset her body to maintain peak performance.
Preserving a consistent connection between mind and body is integral to wellness. Nearly 47% of people utilize exercise as a stress reliever. Because physical exercise is intrinsic to mental and emotional wellbeing, it’s incredibly important that exercise be seen as an enjoyable activity. When we grow bored or tired of exercise, our motivation suffers. The expansion of wellness into nontraditional spaces enables more people to seek out the mode of fitness that works best for them, whether it’s yoga, pilates, climbing, or aerial ballet.
“The State of Health in 2022” research by The Circus, September 2022
Focusing on conscious physical exercises, mindfulness tools, and activities that strengthen a healthy sleep schedule create the optimal conditions for wellness. Utilizing a wearable device like a Fitbit can empower individuals to maintain consistency in their journey to wellness.