Viral wellness trends, put to the test: a kind, curious look at what's known
Scroll for long enough and someone will be massaging their face, taping their mouth shut at bedtime, lowering themselves into an ice bath or stirring up a pink drink they say helps them sleep. Wellness trends can be fun, and the curiosity behind them is a good thing. It usually means you care about how you feel.
The trickier part is working out what's worth a try and what deserves a little care. Here's a calm look at four trends doing the rounds online, what reputable sources say in plain words, and how to try them sensibly. Then we'll look at the most useful test of all: your own patterns.
Lymphatic drainage massage
What it is. Gentle massage strokes meant to help move lymph, the clear fluid that drains from your tissues back into your bloodstream. Online, it's often shared as a way to "de-puff" your face or improve your skin.
What's known. Lymphoedema researchers at Macquarie University, writing in The Conversation, explain that trained practitioners use manual lymphatic drainage for some people with lymphoedema, a kind of swelling that happens when lymph doesn't drain properly, alongside compression, exercise and skin care. If you're healthy and don't have any swelling, they say you probably don't need it, and research on the skin and beauty claims is limited, with any benefits likely to be small or short-lived. For a healthy lymphatic system, they suggest eating well, staying hydrated and moving regularly.
Trying it sensibly. If you find a massage relaxing, that's a good reason to enjoy one. If you notice swelling that doesn't go away, or you've had cancer care involving your lymph nodes, talk to your GP before trying it yourself.
Mouth taping at night
What it is. A strip of tape across your lips at bedtime, to encourage breathing through your nose. Fans say it helps with snoring, sleep and even your jawline.
What's known. A 2025 review of 10 studies found little evidence that it helps, and it raised a safety concern for anyone whose nose is blocked, for example from hay fever. Writing about the review in The Conversation, Monash University sleep psychologist Moira Junge notes that qualified sleep health professionals do not recommend mouth taping.
Trying it sensibly. This is one to talk over with your GP before you try it, rather than after. If snoring or feeling tired is bothering you, that's worth raising with your GP in its own right.
Cold plunges and ice baths
What it is. Sitting in cold water, often somewhere between 3°C and 15°C, for a few minutes, at a studio or in a tub at home.
What's known. Researchers from UNSW and the University of Portsmouth, writing in The Conversation, say ice baths can ease muscle soreness after hard training, but the effect is modest and short-lived. Research on mood is mixed, and claims about testosterone, mental health and weight loss aren't backed by strong evidence. Cold water also sets off a strong response in the body: gasping, faster breathing, and a jump in heart rate and blood pressure.
Trying it sensibly. They suggest getting checked by your doctor first, and skipping it if you or your family have any heart, stroke or breathing risk. Start gradually with cooler showers, keep sessions short (they suggest 3 to 5 minutes), and never go alone. Shivering, numbness or feeling confused are signs to get out and warm up.
The sleepy girl mocktail
What it is. Tart cherry juice, a powdered magnesium supplement and soda water, sipped in the evening.
What's known. CQUniversity sleep researcher Charlotte Gupta, writing in The Conversation, notes that some small studies have linked tart cherry juice with better sleep, possibly because cherries contain melatonin. Magnesium supplements have also shown some sleep benefits, though the best amount isn't yet known. She's clear that no drink is an instant fix.
Trying it sensibly. She suggests having it about two hours before bed rather than at lights out, skipping added sugar, and keeping an eye on how much magnesium you're having overall. If you take regular medicines or live with a health condition, check with your GP or pharmacist before adding a supplement.
The most useful test: your own patterns
Research tells us what tends to happen across groups. It can't tell you how something sits with you. That's where gentle self-experimenting can help, as long as the change is safe for you.
- One change at a time. If you start a new drink, a new bedtime and a cold plunge in the same week, it's hard to know what's doing what.
- Give it a few weeks. One night tells you very little. Look at the shape of things over two to four weeks.
- Notice how you feel, too. Your own sense of your energy and sleep counts as much as any chart.
- Keep it light. If a trend adds worry, it's fine to let it go.
How Thrive can help you see what suits you
Thrive brings your sleep, activity, heart, food, medications and the check-ins you record together, so you can see how a change sits alongside the rest of your life.
- Sleep, sleep stages, HRV and resting heart rate. Thrive shows these night by night and over weeks, so you can compare a few weeks with a new habit against your usual.
- Personal Baseline Intelligence. As you wear the Band, Thrive learns what's usual for you. Your baseline starts as Emerging and becomes Established once enough consistent information has been collected.
- The correlations engine. Over time, Thrive can show which habits tend to go with your steadier or more unsettled weeks.
- Ask Thrive. You can ask plain-English questions such as "Has my sleep looked any different since I started my evening drink?" Ask Thrive can also help you set up a simple personal experiment and follow how it goes.
Thrive won't tell you whether a trend works in general, and a change in your patterns doesn't prove the trend caused it. What Thrive can do is give you a clearer view of your own weeks, so you can decide for yourself what feels worth keeping. If tracking ever starts to feel like pressure, our guide to when tracking starts to feel stressful has some gentler ideas.
Taking it to your GP
If you live with a health condition, take regular medicines, are pregnant, or simply aren't sure whether a trend suits you, your GP is a good person to ask first.
What Thrive shows isn't a diagnosis, and Thrive isn't designed to tell you that something is wrong. If you feel unwell or something is worrying you, please talk to your GP, whatever any number says. A few weeks of your patterns, and the questions they've raised, can help that conversation along.
Before you buy
You'll need a compatible iPhone or Android phone, because the Thrive app is on the Apple App Store and Google Play, in Australia and eight other countries. The app stores are only for downloading the app, though; they aren't where you buy the Band or a Plan. You can buy at thrivehealthband.com, or at a participating World Gym Australia location or health and wellness clinic.
The Thrive Health Band is A$660 for the first year under the launch offer (usually A$740). That includes the Band, which is yours to keep, and 12 months of the Thrive by Optihealth app, My Health on the web, Health Fingerprint, Ask Thrive, Thrive Loops and your data, paid once upfront. Prices are in AUD and include GST. Free Australia-wide shipping during the launch offer (usually A$14.99).
Nothing renews automatically. After your first year, you can get a new band plus 12 more months for A$660, or keep your band and renew the Thrive Connected Plan for A$240 a year (A$20 a month).
You're also covered by a 12-month Thrive Care Warranty, and consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law always apply. See Returns if something is wrong with your purchase.
Common questions
Can Thrive prove whether a wellness trend works?
No. Thrive shows your own patterns over time, which can help you notice what tends to go with your better weeks. It can't prove a trend caused a change.
Which trend should I try first?
There's no right answer. If one appeals, check it's safe for you, try it on its own for a few weeks, and see how you feel.
For more answers, see Questions.