YORK is among the best places in the UK for wellbeing, according to a new study.

The research - conducted by UK Saunas - analysed the wellness practices of people across the nation.

The study looks into behaviour patterns such as online search behaviour, availability of facilities such as gyms, spas and therapists, as well as environmental factors like pollution levels.

Each city was given a score out of 48 for each factor, totaling a score out of 144 for the 4 main wellness categories.

Norwich rated the highest with 498 while Cambridge and Bath followed in second and third place.

York was ranked as the ninth best place for wellness overall in the UK.

It gained top 10 results for fitness, skin wellness and mental wellness with a high volume of spas and searches around mindfulness.

York had a rating of 100 for physical wellness; 92 for skin wellness; 113 for mental wellness and 65 for intimacy wellness. This brought the city to 370 points.

The global wellness industry is currently worth over £3.4 trillion, with the recent Covid restrictions driving trends such as home fitness and telehealth services.

Brian Clarke, owner of UK Saunas: “The wellness industry is expected to grow consistently at a rate of over 6 per cent a year, highlighting how important the many facets of the industry are to our lives.

"Whether it’s our physical health, mental health, or even the health of our relationships, taking care of and improving ourselves is a vital practice that countless people are working on right now.

"Thanks to lockdowns and social restrictions, many people will have started to consider the state of their wellbeing even more seriously than before, which may have an even greater impact on the expansion of the wellness industry."