The wellness world has historically sidelined men as companions to the predominant demographic—women. But the world is shifting. Gender identity is no longer stuck in rigid or binary definitions. Even within conventional roles, men are increasingly prioritizing life in balance and joining the well-being conversation.
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The wellness world has historically sidelined men as companions to the predominant demographic—women. But the world is shifting. Gender identity is no longer stuck in rigid or binary definitions. Even within conventional roles, men are increasingly prioritizing life in balance and joining the well-being conversation.
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A Harvard Health study showed that "decade after decade, women continue to outpace men. In fact, the gap is wider now than it was a century ago." The article lists social factors (work stress and lack of social networks) and behavioral factors (smoking, alcohol, poor diet, and lack of exercise and self-care) behind the lag.
Helping male guests address these as well as learning new skills like meditation, mindfulness and spiritual connection can positively impact longevity and well-being.
How to take it to the next level? Go beyond maintaining health to thriving—by seeking joy and sharing it with others. And where best to launch or nurture a better lifestyle? A well-being getaway.
What is a Well-Being Getaway?
Resorts and spas focusing on well-being and balance through mindful living surpass a leisurely escape. They help guests regardless of where they are in their wellness journey—whether they need help refining their current practices or cultivating a routine from scratch.
Retreats that cater to physical, mental and emotional well-being vary in style from sumptuous luxury to rugged comfort. They offer world-class spas, programs and amenities that resonate with men. Yoga, meditation, outdoor adventures and spiritual explorations, along with mindful eating—including farm-to-table experiences—are presented by expert coaches, chefs, mentors and guides in one place.
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Remind guests that eating well doesn't mean bland kale and tofu combos (although resort chefs are elevating vegan cuisine to something sublime). Miraval Berkshires' Executive Chef Justin Taylor favors his creatively vegan option over the traditional tasting menu, which includes local farm-raised duck, New England lobster and hand-churned butter from a dairy you can see from the restaurant's windows. Miraval Austin even has a class on how to cook the perfect Texas steak.
Male guests also reap the physical rewards of hiking, biking or kayaking. They might want to leap from great heights on specially designed challenge courses that boost creativity and teamwork, or commune with conifers by forest bathing. Skills can be taught—some traditionally associated with old-school notions of masculinity, like forging a fire, chucking an axe or slinging a bow and arrow.
But the spin should be less on performance or perfection than presence.
So, fire can be meditative, while focusing on a target can clarify your intentions. You can wield an axe to hit an immediate mark and contemplate the larger markers of health and happiness, stepping up your workout while raising your emotional intelligence. You can optimize your sleep patterns, skin care or knife skills. Spas can offer everything from beard care to back facials.
Mental Well-Being
Many might think that men at wellness resorts rarely venture off treadmills or outdoor trails. Yet, in Forbes a recent attendee of Miraval's The Retreat noted that "the activity where we saw the most men (other than at meals) was in a Positivity & Resilience: Bouncing Back from Stress class."
Enrollment in classes on spirit and mental well-being is on the rise. But guess what else is also increasing?
Mental Health America reports 6 million men are affected by depression in the U.S. each year. Healthline ranks depression and suicide as leading causes of death among men, yet they're still less likely to seek mental health treatment than women.
Promoting visits to well-being getaways helps legitimize and redefine help-seeking as a show of strength, a response to the "toxic masculinity" culture that leads men to underreport unhealthy lifestyles.
Digital Mindfulness
Many well-being getaways limit cell phone usage to let guests practice living life and connecting to others. In fact, the Cleveland Clinic reports that "digital detox offers sharper focus, less stress, better social interactions and more control of time." This can range in style from places like Camp Grounded, which takes adults entirely off the grid for a three-night summer camp, to Miraval Mode, Miraval Resorts' digital mindfulness program that lets people test out a device-free life but offers usage zones.
A 2019 ISPA study reported that more men than women would visit a spa that discourages device usage. And that was even before we all got tech-neck from peering at screens throughout the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Relationships & Resilience
Most men have fewer valuable relationships than they need. Men can connect to others in a safe space where they will be supported—not ridiculed—for sharing their time, companionship and ideas.
"American men," says a New York Times article, "are stuck in a "friendship recession." In a 2021 survey of more than 2,000 adults in the U.S. (Survey Center on American Life), less than half of the men said they were truly satisfied with how many friends they had, while 15% said they had no close friends at all—a fivefold increase since 1990. That same survey found that men were less likely than women to rely on their friends for emotional support or to share personal feelings.
Many guests make profound connections that outlast their stays, sharing tips, planning future trips together and extending the benefit to coworkers, family and friends. These same men urge their offices to hold company retreats, and some corporations might even foot the bill.
In 2022, 65% of males attended a spa for the first time to boost their overall wellness. Post-pandemic, spa-going men reported focusing on their health and well-being even more than non-spa-goers. Some of the world's most successful male CEOs (LinkedIn's Jeff Weiner, SalesForce's Marc Benioff, Bridgewater Associate's Ray Dalio) credit their success to meditation and mindfulness.
It's refreshing to see the shift as more men seek these journeys and expand the creativity and camaraderie unfolding at well-being getaways worldwide.
Dina Fenili Niekamp brings more than 15 years of hospitality experience to her role as director of brand and marketing at Miraval Resorts. In this position, she is responsible for driving consumer awareness for the growing Miraval brand and spearheading the marketing and communications efforts for its three award-winning properties across the country.
