The least we can say is that the current situation (after 8+ months of the pandemic) and the difficulties coming ahead are not conducive to greater wellbeing and happier societies. Indeed, there is so much going on that makes us collectively unwell and affects our sense of subjective wellbeing. In no particular order, some obvious “wellbeing-crushers”: anxiety, lockdowns, social and political polarization, deep uncertainty about…
The Evolving Travel ‘Experience’: Virtual, Actual and In Between–New York Times, November 12, 2020 Guided excursions have long been at the heart of travel, but like everything else, the pandemic disrupted such experiences, and many went virtual. But as travel begins to tick up, tour companies are adapting to social distancing in numerous ways. Some are complementing virtual experiences—for instance, guided chocolate tastings with chocolate shipped…
A new study from Swedish researchers found that people with depression and other mental health issues slept much better through the night when using a weighted blanket. At the end of the experiment, 42% of those that slept with an 18-pound blanket scored so low on the Insomnia Severity Index to be considered in remission from their sleep troubles, compared with 3.6% of the control…
Last week, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the large, historical organization that promotes social and economic development across Asia-Pacific, held a webinar on how investing in wellness could speed both economic and social recovery in Asia in the wake of COVID-19. The economists shared how the wellness economy accounted for an incredible 11% of developing Asia’s gross domestic product in 2017 and how the overall wellness market has…
An important wellness trend that stems from COVID is the rising emphasis we’ll place on the quality of air as a prerequisite for both physical health and personal wellbeing. A new Harvard study conducted in more than 3,000 US counties revealed a clear and strong correlation between higher levels of particulate air pollution and higher mortality rates caused by COVID-19. It concluded that every increase of…
Predictably, the pandemic is causing a devastating wave of mental health issues. The advocacy group Mental Health America recently reported that the number of people seeking help for depression and panic attacks has increased dramatically over the past few months. This, in turn, is leading to burgeoning numbers of individuals and digital tools offering help and advice in the field of mental wellbeing. Having examined…
