Ice baths and marathons: why it's become fashionable

Being "in shape" has become not just a useful habit, but a visible social marker: today it is important not only to take care of your health, but also to demonstrate that you take care of yourself.

The authors of The Conversation offer an explanation: wellness culture successfully presses the ancient "buttons" of the human psyche - the desire for visible signs of health, youth and status.

Why we react to "health signals" the way we do

Humans are evolutionarily accustomed to paying attention to external signs of well-being: clear skin, symmetrical facial features, healthy body proportions, confident plasticity. At the same time, we often feel aversion to visible signs of possible infection - part of the so-called 'behavioural immune system' that helped us avoid infection when diseases were ubiquitous and poorly understood.

The problem is that in the 21st century, many such signals can be 'amplified' or even mimicked: by cosmetics, treatments, supplements, gadgets and fashionable rituals. This is the power of wellness: it promises to quickly make a person visually "younger and healthier" - that is, noticeable in the eyes of others.

Running clubs, Ice baths and "endurance demonstrations"

Running clubs are essentially becoming a showcase of energy and discipline. Regular jogging is easily read as a sign of endurance, sociality and the 'right' life strategy - no wonder these communities often become dating destinations.

Ice baths and cold plunges work as an even louder signal: 'I tolerate discomfort', 'I am resilient', 'I am in control of myself'. Even if the benefits of a particular practice are debated, the message to the audience is read instantly.

Why wellness is spreading so quickly

There is a second layer - status. Wellness often requires resources: time, money, access to studios, retreats, personal trainers and "stacks" of supplements. Expensive and uncomfortable practices (ice baths, ultra-marathons, rigid regimes) simultaneously hint: one has leisure time, resources and iron discipline.

Social media adds fuel to the fire. Algorithms love content that looks prestigious, tugs at emotions and forms "their" group. And wellness communities are almost ready-made "hobby clubs" with clear rules, symbols and rituals. As a result, people start copying not because they have figured out medicine, but because copying status is an ancient and very strong human strategy.

When "health" becomes dangerous

The authors warn: the wellness image often becomes a "superstimulus" - an idealised version of the norm. Flawless skin, "sculpted" bodies, and dawn jogs like from an advert make you want to fit in - but they don't eliminate the risks.

Ice baths have the potential for cold shock and hypothermia, overexertion in sport leads to injury, and the advice of Influencers is often not just questionable but potentially harmful. When the goal shifts from actual well-being to publicly signalling "I'm wellness," it's easy to fall into the trap of repeating extreme practices for the sake of approval rather than health.

Conclusion

Wellness culture reflects our evolutionary preferences - for health traits and for status - but can simultaneously exploit and distort them. A useful habit becomes a signalling race, and self-care becomes a competition for attention. So the main advice is simple: don't confuse demonstrating wellness with real wellbeing.