stop and go. light and dark. up and down. It’s easy to see how opposites shape our world—and wellness is no exception. In fact, two pathways have emerged at opposite ends of the well-being spectrum that offer contrasting approaches to similar well-being goals. On one hand, you’ve got “softcare” – soothing and simple exercises. On the other side is “hardcare” – a rigorous, attention-to-detail approach that tracks health and fitness progress in detail. MetricsOr uses biohacking to enhance well-being. Yet, despite their differences, both approaches have the same goal: optimal well-being.
Soft well-being is like a cozy, weighted blanket Rainy day. This approach is gentle, introspective, known for rejecting the hustle-bustle cultural mindset and embracing wellness through community and connection. It is usually cheaper and more accessible than hard wellness.
We’ve seen this trend take hold — and not just through more traditional “soft” practices like candlelight yoga journaling every morning-But through recent viral sensations, like the bed is rotting or now-enduring popularity hot girl walksOr just consider how ubiquitous meditation and mindfulness have become. according to a survey According to the National Institutes of Health, the number of people practicing meditation more than doubled from 2002 to 2022, from just 7.5 percent to 17.3 percent. And businesses are paying attention, too. According to this, revenue from meditation apps is expected to reach $5.1 billion globally in 2024 Statista,
jon choiA licensed mental health counselor says soft wellness practices are also about nurturing the parts of you that are rooted in personal values rather than competition or comparison.
“These practices can help us create space to return to those parts of ourselves that are often neglected or judged, and can help us process thoughts and feelings that may otherwise be ignored, especially in such societies. In a world where we are constantly on the move and forced to consume information, Choi says.
“My proposal is for people to try engaging in activities aimed at simply being present, feeling happy, slowing down, and having a deeper sense of receiving intentional care from themselves. Our nervous systems, bodies, and minds need time to breathe and reset in the absence of apps, smart watches, and other methods that externally or subconsciously direct us to center metrics and outcomes.
But if all this sounds a little too exotic for your tastes, on the other side of the spectrum is hard-core wellness. This is the opposite of being in tune with your emotions – and instead relies heavily on over-optimization of health. Think: the rapid growth of wearable technology, metrics for every aspect of life from workouts to sleep, to “readiness,” and even the rise of whole-body scans or blood tests that measure hundreds of biomarkers.
“My proposal is for people to try engaging in activities aimed at simply being present, feeling happy, slowing down, and having a deeper sense of receiving intentional care from themselves.” -Joan Choi, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Mark Hyman, MDA longevity expert, Hard is one of the doctors betting on wellness — a trend he attributes to a growing desire for agency and autonomy in healthcare.
“Health care is failing. We have a disease-care system, not a health-care system. People want to know how to be empowered to take care of their health,” he says. This is one of the reasons behind his latest venture, work healthWhich reportedly provides access to over 100 laboratory tests to allow people to have a more holistic view of their overall well-being. The company is one of a handful of concierge services aimed at preventive care.
Although the idea seems simple enough – lots of tests to provide a holistic view of your health –critics argue Testing without a legitimate medical reason does not necessarily lead to better health outcomes, or concierge services may lead to greater health disparities.
According to the 2022 systematic review BMJ JournalsResearch shows that overuse of diagnostic testing could potentially harm rather than help patients – not to mention the expenses that come with it.
The function’s benefits and insights come with a price tag – a $499 subscription fee to be exact – and they don’t charge insurance. You must join a special waiting list to get a spot estimated 400,000 people Already in line to join.
Dr. Hyman points to the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst for consumers seeking better understanding.
“People are disappointed. “After COVID, they now understand the weaknesses and gaps in health care, so they want agency,” says Dr. Hyman. “People want to be empowered with their information and data. And they want to own their own data, not just rely on the health care system to decide what they can do and when.
On the frontier of hard wellness, you’ll also see an increase in direct-to-consumer testing—health screenings and tests that can be done without the involvement of a health care professional. companies like insidetracker And Everlywell Offer consumers at-home testing to determine food allergies, stress levels, metabolic health and more. The problem with these tests is the overall lack of oversight. While some DTC tests are reviewed fdaOthers are not before being offered to consumers.
Like a laboratory test, hard wellness is results-focused. While soft wellness may emphasize mental clarity or general vitality, hard wellness usually has visible, measurable results and markers such as resting heart rateHeart rate variability, or sleep quality, among others.
And while many people who wear an Apple Watch or even opt for a full-body CT scan, it is brian johnsonThe viral sensation billionaire is known for his bizarre and often untested processes of self-funding in an attempt to live forever. Johnson, who notoriously tracks his nightly erection As a health metric, many fundamental medical procedures have been tried – e.g. injection “Fat-derived extracellular matrix” into her face to restore lost volume. replacing all plasma A protein called albumin was found in his body which is found in blood.
But you don’t have to become a billionaire or adopt one approach over another. The magic of combining soft and hard wellness is that you’ll meet somewhere in the middle and get the best of both worlds. maybe you wear yours challenge When journaling; Or you’re systematically tracking sleep but let mood guide your outdoor runs.
The dual approach to wellness believes that self-care and self-awareness are equally important. By taking advantage of both “soft” and “hard” health, you are giving yourself a comprehensive toolkit for taking control of your health. And ultimately, it means you too are shaping a wellness journey that is as dynamic as you are.
