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Tara Loader Wilkinson

With rising living costs and persistent inflation in much of the world, many consumers are cutting back on spending – but not, it seems, when it comes to wellness.
The wellness industry is now valued at US$6.8 trillion and forecast to reach US$10 trillion by 2029, according to the Global Wellness Institute, a non-profit research and education foundation.
Its sister organisation, the Global Wellness Summit, recently revealed its Future of Wellness report, with a focus on trends that are expected to feature most prominently this year and beyond.
Here are eight of them.
1. Women get their own longevity focus

This year, longevity will pivot from purely male-oriented data and protocols (thank you, Bryan Johnson) to another health vertical focusing on the female healthspan.
Women grow older differently than men – female ageing centres around the ovaries. This has only recently been recognised. A recent study suggests that the ovary is not “a passive victim of ageing” but “an active regulator of systemic physiological decline”.
Biotech research into slowing ovarian ageing will go mainstream, with labs experimenting on ovarian stem cell therapies and replacing unhealthy ovarian cells with lab-made ones.
There will be a move from pampering menopause retreats to serious medical wellness longevity programmes, while the biggest growth area in women’s health will be seen among those in the 20-to-40 age group building tools and protocols in preparation for menopause.
2. A step back from over-tracking

Have we health-tracked ourselves into greater anxiety than ever? Are we living a paradox of “betterment burnout”, where relentless self-improvement reduces life satisfaction? These are questions we must ask after a crescendo of self-surveillance.
The use of wearables from companies like Oura, Whoop, Garmin, Apple and others has enabled us to monitor our sleep, count our steps and hack our biology. Having so much data and becoming reliant on it can be detrimental, however. Research suggests, for example, that sleep-tracking wearables can undermine intuition, making users anxious about a low sleep score even if they feel well rested.
This year, expect to see pushback on peak optimisation and a move towards emotional repair, nervous system safety and embodied care.
3. The rise of ‘neurowellness’

Neurowellness, a fancy way of saying “not being in panic mode”, will take centre stage this year. Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system and how the brain and neural circuits shape behaviour, cognition and emotion.
Linking to the previous trend, expect a rise of wearables designed to help quiet the brain’s neural activity, such as EEG sensor headbands, smart beds to promote ideal sleep, and vagus nerve stimulators that aim to flip the body from stress mode to recovery mode.
4. Ready is the new well
You might not associate disaster readiness with wellness, but as climate volatility such as extreme heat and more powerful typhoons increases, resilience becomes the defining condition of our century. Being ready with a “disaster plan” is an act of preventive self-care.
Already, architects and designers are creating with a “when”, not “if”, mindset, building things like housing with raised ground floors to protect against flooding, rooftop gardens to capture stormwater, and centralised air filtration to protect residents from wildfire smoke.
5. Wellness raves and parties
Clubbers and ravers of the 80s and 90s, rejoice. While the stereotype of wellness was traditionally solitary, serious and restrictive, a new type of wellness is coming to the fore – cathartic, wild and fun.
Gatherings will prioritise collective experience and joy over discipline as a way to increase a sense of connection – something that has been proven to be one of the most important factors in longevity.
One such player is Sanctum, a European events organiser and social wellness club. There are also fitness festivals elevating the joy of sport such as Hyrox, the F1-inspired running race Bandit Grand Prix, and Strong New York.
6. Women’s revolution in sports

Momentum is growing behind new women’s sports leagues, which is fuelling the unstoppable upward trajectory of women’s sports.
In North America, these include the Professional Women’s Hockey League, the women’s professional indoor League One Volleyball, and the Women’s Professional Baseball League. Asia, meanwhile, is witnessing the rise of women’s rugby sevens in Hong Kong and the professionalisation of women’s football.
With backing from tennis star Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian, New York-based Athlos has been elevating women’s track and field.
South Korean-born American businesswoman, investor and philanthropist Michele Kang has announced she will pour US$55 million into women’s sports – particularly soccer – and has funded the Kang Women’s Institute to advance health, performance and development in women’s sports.
7. Tackling microplastics to safeguard health

The severity of the microplastics crisis – found to be ubiquitous in our environment, from the Mariana Trench to the top of Mount Everest, and in our bodies, from breastmilk to our brains – is far from news. But this year is about taking action to protect ourselves from the insidious effects of the plastic pollutant.
Defined as polymer particles ranging in size from 5mm (0.2 inches) to a nanometre (a millionth of a millimetre), microplastics have been linked to health risks including cancer and reproductive issues.
Expect to see emerging consumer interest in therapies that may help mop up microplastics, such as the use of natural clays and activated charcoal that may bind microplastics in the gut for elimination, as well as massage and lymphatic stimulation.
While these therapies are gaining traction, clinical data on their efficacy for microplastic removal remains in its infancy.
8. Residences designed for longevity

Checking into a week-long health clinic annually can provide a worthy reset; however, our homes can help optimise our health 365 days of the year.
Longevity residences are a step up from wellness real estate, which focuses on factors such as walkability, light and air, water, and acoustics.
The Estate Hotels & Residences, brainchild of hotelier Sam Nazarian and motivational speaker Tony Robbins, will provide “purpose-built longevity ecosystems”. They will house facilities for preventive medicine, ongoing biomarker tracking, personalised diagnostics and regenerative therapies, to monitor and safeguard residents’ healthspans.
In Hong Kong, Ventria Residence in Happy Valley is an example of a private hotel-style senior residence offering luxury units with racecourse views, tailored healthcare and smart technology.
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One of the top wellness trends expected in 2026 is a rise of wearables designed to help quiet the brain’s neural activity, such as EEG sensor headbands like this one from Muse. Photo: choosemuse.com

Women do not age the same way as men, and the role of the ovaries in ageing will be a focus of research in 2026. Photo: Shutterstock

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Vagus nerve stimulators can help flip the body from stress mode to recovery mode. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong’s women’s rugby sevens team (in white) plays Shanghai (in red) at Kai Tak Stadium, in Hong Kong, in 2025. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Here are some of the top wellness trends predicted for 2026, including a focus on women’s health, ‘neurowellness’ and reducing over-tracking


Here are some of the top wellness trends predicted for 2026, including a focus on women’s health, ‘neurowellness’ and reducing over-tracking.


8 hot wellness trends in 2026, from women’s longevity and sports to ‘health raves’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Here are some of the top wellness trends predicted for 2026, including a focus on women’s health, ‘neurowellness’ and reducing over-tracking

Here are some of the top wellness trends predicted for 2026, including a focus on women’s health, ‘neurowellness’ and reducing over-tracking