Think of all the wellness habits you’d like to do in a day. The ideal list might include meditation, stretching, hair oiling, dry brushing, and deep breathing, to name a few. If you did them all one after the other, it could easily take up an entire evening. So what if you did them all at once?

That’s exactly what Brigette Muller, aka @hummusbirrd, is doing on TikTok with her popular “Wellness Stacking” series. Instead of overwhelming herself with self-care for hours, she takes 20 minutes each day to cultivate as many healthy habits as possible at once, and each day she adds one more. It’s a fun challenge she created for herself, but it’s also a good idea. “The best thing about wellness stacking is that it only takes 20 minutes and you get so much done,” she said in an Aug. 26 video.

The first day, she relaxed on a PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) mat to lift her mood. The second day, she lay on the mat and on a support device designed to manage tech neck. The third day, she piled on a pair of vision therapy glasses that she often forgets to put on. The fourth day, she added teeth whitening strips. The fifth day? Dry brushing. The sixth day? Hair oil. And the seventh day, she packed toe spreaders into the mix to pamper her feet.

In her comments section, people have suggested new activities and treatments to add, like listening to a meditation track, wearing eye patches, breathing exercises, and other health-boosting habits you can do while lying on the mat. The trend is a hit on Muller’s page, but the idea is popular elsewhere on TikTok, too, in the form of habit stacking and other succinct self-care routines.

Here you can learn all about the concept of wellness stacking and all its benefits.

What is wellness stacking?

Wellness stacking is similar to habit stacking, a term coined by author James Clear in his book Atomic habitsThe idea is that it’s easier to add new routines to old or already established ones than to start completely new ones. If you already go for a walk every morning, you can start drinking water at the same time and boom – now you’re doing two things that are good for you at the same time.

According to Lauren Auer, LCPC, a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Steadfast Counseling, TikTok’s wellness stacking hack helps you get more done in less time by combining multiple healthy activities into one session, and makes it easier to remember to pamper yourself.

“Instead of spreading things out and trying to cram them throughout the day, group them into a single block of time,” Auer tells Bustle. “It’s like a mini self-care power hour where you maximize the benefits of each activity without feeling like you’re running around all day.”

If you want to do 20 minutes of stretching, why not complement it with hair oil, a relaxing podcast and a cup of tea? “This way, you’re not overwhelmed by a series of individual wellness tasks – you’re just focusing on carving out a block of time to get them all done,” she says.

The benefits of wellness stacking

Aside from saving you time, wellness stacking allows you to make your self-care sessions more intentional. Instead of watching TV or scrolling while you wait for your skincare routine to work, you can let it work while you journal, practice gratitude, or do a guided meditation. “This will make your entire routine feel more intentional,” says Auer.

Consolidating your wellness activities into one block of time also makes you more likely to stay consistent because it seems less time-consuming and overwhelming. If Muller were to lie on her PEMF mat first and then use teeth whitening strips later, she might be too tired to do a dry brushing routine afterward. But if you do these things all at once, you’ll find that you can check off your to-do list in just 20 minutes.

“Amassing habits also makes it easier to start and maintain new ones because they’re connected to things you already do,” says Auer. “You build a routine that feels natural rather than forcing it.”

Just don’t overdo it with an excessive number of activities, treatments or potions. “Trying to cram too many habits into one session can backfire and leave you feeling burned out,” she adds. “The key is to start small and only add new habits when you feel comfortable.”

Add to your stack

The beauty of this trend is that everyone has a different wellness stacking routine. It’s based on what feels right for you and what you want to do or achieve for your health. According to Auer, the idea is to customize your stack so that it’s unique to you and your needs.

To start your stack, think of one thing you already enjoy doing for your well-being, like stretching before bed or taking a walk in the morning. If you don’t have any habits at the moment, pick one new thing to focus on and start doing it for 20 minutes a day.

If that habit feels right, add something else. “Pay attention to how it feels — if it’s doable and you see the benefits — then add another habit,” says Auer.

To keep things manageable, Auer also suggests setting an alarm. Set aside a specific time to enjoy your stack, then move on with your day. “The idea is to keep it sustainable and enjoyable,” she says. “Don’t overwhelm yourself.”

Source:

Lauren Auer, LCPC, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Founder of Steadfast Counseling