The modern concept of wellness gained traction in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s through an informal network of physicians and thinkers in the United States, and this has largely shaped the way modern day society views wellness.

The word wellness is rooted in the 19th century movement in both the United States and Europe. Stemming from the combination of intellectual, religious, and medical communities. Wellness can be found as far back as ancient Greece, Rome and Asia, whose historical traditions have influenced the modern day wellness movement.