Everyday life and the world we live in make high demands on each and every one of us. And while the world stage, the neighbourhood, our job and the climate call on us to act responsibly, the realisation that everyone is responsible for their own personal happiness is growing. Work-life balance, family and health dominate the Gen Z philosophy. “Act responsibly but take good care of yourself as well,” seems like a fitting motto for the modern lifestyle: rather than being left to chance, happiness and self-fulfilment are key points on the agenda, and should be pursued even in difficult times. And whereas some people use streaming services or computer games to switch off, others seek relaxation in an active life and retreat to their spinning workout, the forest or their private spa.

The old concept of wellness has come to seem one-dimensional. That’s because there’s a lot more to wellbeing than a trip to the gym, a detox regime or a visit to the sauna. Whereas wellness focuses on physical fitness and nutrition in order to improve performance and appearance, today’s approach places greater emphasis on general physical and mental health. It’s this second, multidimensional outlook that the term wellbeing stands for: wellness tends to represent the physical dimension, whereas wellbeing encompasses mental and emotional aspects as well. The wellbeing trend stands for a lifestyle that doesn’t just seek relaxation but meaningful activities that increase contentment and make us happy as well. What’s more, a growing number of employers are introducing Wellbeing Days with the goal of preventing the physical, mental and emotional exhaustion of their workforce – the measure is regarded as a form of sustainable corporate governance and a way to promote resilience.

The bathroom can also serve as a point of intersection between wellness and wellbeing. A bathroom for wellbeing is a place where all the senses are alive or come alive – with water as the key element. As a result, both the semi-public and private bathroom are important spaces for the flourishing wellbeing market. The Pop up my Bathroom initiative established by Messe Frankfurt and the German Bathroom Sector Association (Vereinigung Deutsche Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. /VDS) is using this ISH 2023 trend to shine a spotlight on the importance of wellbeing as a competitive factor for the bathroom industry.

A Wellbeing Bathroom can play an important supporting role – with both simple and highly complex products like a bathtub or whirlpool (for indoors or out), an infrared sauna or individually programmable showers, classic water applications, therapeutic lighting and experience-enhancing multimedia features. Or it offers simply a personal space for health-promoting activities. The Wellbeing Bathroom enhances the private spa with aspects like personalised training programmes and rituals, individual treatments and little escapes, as well as mindfulness exercises. The feel-good factor is key to creating this special retreat. In addition to equipping the space with innovative bathroom products, the interior design therefore has an increasingly important role to play in bathroom planning as well.

Health tops the wishlist for a happy life. And as prosperous societies around the globe become increasingly health-conscious, the bathroom will gradually evolve into an in-home health centre. As a result, it won’t just become cosier: in modern interiors, the bathroom will also become a multifunctional space for grooming and fitness, where water plays an important role in prevention – a space for stretching exercises and running on the treadmill, for revitalising and relaxing, for health checks and boosting circulation with water.

At the same time, the Wellbeing Bathroom stands for the concept of a bathroom for promoting health, individually equipped to suit the requirements, preferences and ages of its users. Where enough space is available, it will be designed to accommodate an ergometer, a treadmill or yoga mat, or perhaps a wall bar, sauna and lounger so that owners can slot fitness and cardio workouts, Pilates or Cantienica exercises into their everyday routine and create a relaxing haven of calm that can even be used for family bonding sessions. And at a pinch, there’s always room for a balance board under the vanity unit if space is in short supply.

Scientific studies indicate that a wide range of medical conditions are positively impacted by water. People are increasingly turning to water for health-promoting purposes – and not just in the hammam. The positive effects of traditional hydrotherapy treatments like the alternating application of hot and cold water are being rediscovered too. Nor will the tap continue to be used “only” for washing. Instead, wherever the necessary standards are met, it is coming to be viewed as a dispenser of a valuable, top-quality commodity: drinking water is being recognised as a scarce and precious resource that revitalises us, refreshes the cells and fascial system from the inside and aids digestion. What’s more, the bathroom is the ideal place for health checks like monitoring blood pressure and glucose, which will become routine for many of us in future. Displays for workout instructions and checklists will also find their way into the bathroom. Personal hygiene will evolve into personal healthcare – and the bathroom will turn it into a pleasure. As costs for warm water increase and ecological awareness grows, the bathroom will become its users’ own personal water temple.

The private bathroom’s new-found role as a Wellbeing Bathroom opens up a wide range of possibilities for both challenging and pampering the body in one and the same room. The shower can play a vital part in this respect: equipped with various sprays and programmable extras, it now enjoys the status of No. 1 feel-good oasis – probably because it takes up relatively little space, added to which showering is quicker and conveys a sense of being active. But it would be wrong to write the good old bathtub off yet: experts point out that its health-promoting effect doesn’t just stem from the fact that taking a bath means taking your time and creates a sense of calm. Because contrary to popular belief, soaking in the tub doesn’t just relax the muscles and joints, it also stabilises the heart and lungs, improves circulation, stimulates the kidneys and strengthens connective tissue. In addition, it has a soothing effect on the entire organism via the autonomic nervous system. The bathtub is therefore an ideal complement to the usual fitness practices and turns the workout into a holistic health experience.

But the tub isn’t the only fountain of health in the bathroom: other “stations” also lend themselves to healthy everyday routines that can lower our susceptibility to illness. Modern saunas and steam showers can stimulate the circulation and metabolism, relieve the airways and relax the muscles. Infrared cabins can also be factored in to a holistic approach. In the shower, all sorts of different rainfall and waterfall effects can be combined with hand showers with multiple spray modes to create highly enjoyable encounters with water. Innovative fittings can also help create sensuous wellness and water experiences in the Wellbeing Bathroom. Alternating hot and cold showers, either for the entire body or just the legs, are also a cornerstone of hydrotherapy treatments, and if a Kneipp pool and Kneipp hose are installed with ergonomic considerations in mind, the Wellbeing Bathroom can provide a professional-level experience.

A carefully thought through bathroom design is all it takes to meet the basic prerequisites for a perfect Wellbeing Bathroom. Plenty of space – in terms of both square metres and storage – is definitely a help, because neatness is good for mental equilibrium. Only a neat and tidy Wellbeing Bathroom allows users to incorporate health-promoting activities into their daily routine in an enjoyable and hassle-free way. Sufficient storage space and an uncluttered look are therefore essential. As a rule, too many accessories are a distraction, whether you’re working out or cooling down. But that doesn’t mean the bathroom can’t be given character and equipped to suit individual tastes.

Wellbeing is a global growth market: bring relaxation home!

The desire to relax and regenerate as a way of escaping from everyday life is a powerful need. Besides products like drinks, health-promoting remedies, and fitness equipment and accessories, the wellbeing market also includes holidays and stays at wellness hotels, spas and pools that are advertised as wellbeing escapes, as well as the services of personal trainers and therapists or themed travel. Whether it’s a spa treatment at the weekend or a bathroom where they can recharge their batteries in the privacy of their own home, today’s consumers welcome any opportunity to unwind and regenerate. Hotel bathrooms and thermal baths often serve as innovative ambassadors that bring a wide range of products to guests’ attention for the first time and inspire ideas for the private bathroom – from a private pool, sauna or whirlpool to a shower toilet, a mirror cabinet with circadian lighting or a multi-jet rainfall shower. Wellbeing is a growth market.