August Wellness Trends: Social Spaces in Hotels and Gyms, More Sugar Taxes

Malleret examines a couple of rising trends in the wellness space this month: 1) How both hotels and gyms are creating new “social spaces” where the separation between work, play and rest is getting blurred, and whether this trend threatens the very concept of the “stand-alone” gym. 2) Whether the uniquely structured new tax just passed in Philadelphia on sugary drinks means more such measures are coming in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Does the World Need to Unplug from Bad News for Mental Health?

The wave of bad news from across the world (terrorism, violence, etc.) seems relentless. In our digital/social media age, every new atrocity is amplified and analyzed ad nauseam 24/7. Malleret argues that this can lead to a collective “catastrophizing” or a cognitive distortion that consists in predicting worst-case scenarios and has a very negative impact on people prone to anxiety and depression. What should we do? Is it time to consciously unplug and consume less news? Is a high volume of news consumption and “wellness” inversely related?

A Wake-Up Call About Air Pollution and Wellness

In the last three issues of the Wellness Monthly Barometer, we’ve expanded on the reasons why air pollution is bound to become a critical wellness issue. A new report on the economic consequences of air pollution corroborates this conviction.

Spotlight on GWI Initiatives that Impact the Spa Industry

The annual Spa Business Handbook was just released and it’s an amazing resource for the spa industry, from its trends forecasts to its analysis of what’s being built in the spa/wellness property pipeline worldwide. The new issue features Susie Ellis, GWI chairman and CEO, highlighting what’s been recently accomplished (and what’s on deck) for six GWI Initiatives that directly impact the spa industry.