The vagus nerve influences nearly every internal organ. Can it improve our mental state, too? – The New York Times, June 2, 2022 The vagus nerve has become an object of fascination, especially on social media (TikTok videos with the hashtag “#vagusnerve” have been viewed more than 64 million times). The vagal nerve fibers, which run all the way from the brain to the abdomen, have…
A new study from Japanese researchers published in Scientific Reports found that listening to music with a groove (music that causes the sensation of wanting to move to the rhythm/beat) can significantly increase measures of executive function. This first study of its kind used both brain imaging and measured individual psychological responses to “groove music” and found that music with a groovy beat impacted cognitive…
The “Wellness Divide” between Low- and High-Income Countries Will Further Sharpen By Thierry Malleret, economist As the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, just put it: the global economy is facing “a confluence of calamities.” The three main engines that drive it are sputtering simultaneously. In the European Union, because of the war and the supply shock inflicted by commodity prices; in China, because…
Looking Beyond COVID: The Shifts Ahead in the Physical Activity and Fitness Markets The GWI’s most recent research report on the global wellness economy includes a complete update on the six-sector physical activity market: fitness ($77 billion), sports and active recreation ($200 billion), mindful movement ($30 billion), fitness technology ($49.5 billion), sports and fitness equipment ($105 billion), and sports apparel and footwear ($293 billion). It…
THE WELLNESS MOONSHOT
2022 GWI Initiative Trends Reports The GWI Initiatives have just released individual reports identifying the key trends impacting their sectors. From an explosion of regeneration projects to artificial intelligence applications in aesthetic health arenas to telemedicine, the grief gap and wellness-at-home—the annual trend reports just issued from the many GWI Initiatives are rich with insights.
