Wellbeing Traditions From Around The World

Sweden: Fika

Comparable to the traditional “coffee break”, this Scandi wellness concept centres around the simplicity of taking it slow for a moment or two and put face-to-face contact at the top of your priorities.

Fika can be in the form of a meal or meeting, with a view to boosting creativity, positivity and feelings of calm. The Swedish government said that fika should happen “preferably several times a day”.

We don’t know about you, but this is making us want to up and leave to spend some time Sweden!

Did you know? The country has one of the highest rates of gym membership in the world, with 21% of the population signed up to a fitness club. Clearly, a country who knows how to stay healthy.

India: Laughter yoga

As the saying goes, “laugher is the best medicine”. The idea around laughter yoga is to release endorphins, using the science of breathing and meditation.

Research claims that our bodies can’t tell the difference between real and fake laughter, so laugher yoga, induced by simply forcing laughter, has the ability to increase serotonin levels and is a great way to reduce day-to-day stress born out of a fast-paced and mercurial life – something we’re all familiar within 2020.

Germany: Kur

Wellness tourism is currently valued by Bloomberg at $639 and its origins date back 200 years in Germany with the notion of “kur” which centres around the commitment to taking an extended break to rejuvenate oneself. The idea of taking a longer break juxtaposes the modern idea of mini-breaks.

Kur is a holistic kind of wellness treatment, which focuses on everything from nutrition and looking into how to prevent illness, to finding ways you can make yourself more productive in day-to-day life and spa-orientated relaxation.

It’s a little like employment wellbeing medical, only it’s for you and you only – not for the benefit of your employer.

Tibet: Singing Bowls

A tradition used by Buddhist monks, Tibetan singing bowls are common in meditation practice and are associated with a number of different practices including singing, deep breathing and controlling stress and pain relief.

They work by giving off sonic waves that are said to resonate with your brainwaves, creating a feeling of harmony. A study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion looked into the benefits of singing bowls and found that 12 minutes was sufficient to reduce systolic blood pressure and heart rate compared to silence before a relaxation session.

If you’ve tried one of the wellbeing traditions listed above, let us know!