Key Takeaways:
Wellness has emerged as one of the most powerful economic, social, and cultural forces shaping the global economy today. The wellness market continues to grow at an extraordinary pace, reaching $6.8 trillion in 2024 and forecast to approach $10 trillion by 2029, according to data from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI).
Far from a fleeting trend, wellness has repeatedly proven resilient during periods of economic uncertainty. McKinsey’s Future of Wellness survey shows that consumers are less likely to cut spending across many wellness subcategories during downturns than in other areas. History bears this out: during the Great Recession of 2008, US vitamin and supplement sales grew 6% between 2008 and 2009, even as GDP fell by 3%. The pattern repeated in 2020 when the category grew 10% despite the broader market contracting by 2% due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the past 20 years, the Global Wellness Summit (GWS) has presented its annual Future of Wellness Trends Report for 2026, which tracks the top wellness trends set to transform the industry that year. The report, released at the end of January, noted an interesting dichotomy in wellness over the last few years between what GWS called “hardcare” and “softcare.” High-tech wearables and hyper-optimized medical approaches (as seen in longevity products, programs, and clinics) are on the rise, while simultaneously, consumers are expressing interest in no-tech, simple, deeply human, social, and emotional wellness. In short, consumers want wellness every way they can get it.
So, what does this mean for the wellness market in 2026? GWS expects another year of radical change as the meaning of wellness stretches even further into new territory. The organization predicts that women will win wellness this year as the longevity movement gains momentum beyond the so-called manosphere. In 2026, GWS anticipates that the market will shift to tackle major environmental and human crises, filling structural gaps left by traditional healthcare and government institutions.
Here are the top 10 wellness trends expected to shape the industry in 2026, based on GWS insights from hundreds of health and wellness experts.
The longevity market has long been built on male biology, with women’s health protocols often extrapolated from data and protocols designed for men. That model is now breaking down, according to GWS. New research increasingly shows that women age differently, with “the ovary” acting as a central regulator of health and longevity. The ovary’s decline during perimenopause and menopause dramatically accelerates systemic aging and drives higher rates of chronic disease.
“This will be the year for women and where major gender inequities in massive markets get corrected,” said Beth McGroarty, Vice President of Research and Forecasting at the Global Wellness Institute, speaking at the organization’s New York media summit earlier this year.
The room erupted in applause as McGroarty continued, adding that the “criminal” lack of investment in researching women's health, particularly regarding the ovary, means the industry is decades behind in finding adequate solutions. “But change really does feel here,” she said. “Women's longevity medicine will become the new and fast-moving clinical and wellness category, and this is no mere trend; it could only transform the lives of 4 billion people that we know as women.”
In 2026, longevity pivots toward women’s “healthspan,” moving beyond symptom management to addressing ovarian aging itself. Clinics, diagnostics, wearables, telehealth platforms, gyms, and wellness resorts are reorienting around women’s biology, and, in the process, reshaping not just longevity science, but its culture, too. The “biohacking bro” stereotype that defined the early 2020s longevity movement is on its last legs. The future of longevity is female, with the potential to reshape and redefine women’s health for current and future generations.
2. The Over-Optimization Backlash
A growing backlash is emerging against peak wellness culture. Health has never been more measurable, with sleep scores, glucose graphs, and biological age all tracked 24/7 and available at the touch of a button. However, GWS found that this constant quantification has made well-being feel less intuitive and more psychologically taxing.
Therapists warn that data-driven self-tracking can shift from motivation to fixation, creating anxiety, pressure, and analysis paralysis. While advances in longevity science and health technology have expanded human potential, optimization without integration is unsustainable in the long term. In response, GWS predicts that the wellness market will soon pivot toward regulation, safety, and emotional repair. Social saunas, somatic practices, pleasure-forward food, low-stimulation retreats, and quietly supportive technologies signal a broader cultural shift: wellness is no longer about maximizing performance or pushing your body to the limit, but about restoring connection, ease, and safety within the body.
While data can be helpful, it can’t give the full picture of a person’s health and wellness status, because we are so much more than just data. Humans are social creatures, not robots, so wellness in 2026 will look much more social, emotional, and spiritual than in years past.
3. The Rise of Neurowellness
Neurowellness is emerging as a core pillar of human health as consumers recognize that it’s not a lack of discipline but chronic stress and nervous system overload that limit well-being. Sleep tracking has made dysregulation visible, linking poor sleep to anxiety, inflammation, brain fog, hormonal disruption, and burnout.
“We're living in this constant fight or flight mode,” said Heidi Moon, Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Global Wellness Summit and Global Wellness Institute. “Neurowellness is not about mental health. It's not about brain health; it's about whole body health through the regulation of the nervous system, and it's really the master switch. You flip it, and everything changes.”
This awareness is driving demand for interventions beyond supplements, including consumer neurotech such as vagus nerve stimulation, EEG-guided sleep tools, and neurofeedback platforms that are entering clinical and therapeutic settings. At the same time, practices like breathwork, touch therapy, and yoga are being reframed as nervous-system medicine. As research advances, neurowellness is moving into healthcare, fitness, hospitality, and everyday environments.
“We’re now seeing technology that was once only available in hospitals—like EEG and neuromodulation devices—not only get FDA approval for use in the home, but we're seeing that insurance covers it as well,” said Moon. “Things like Elemind headband—that's going to be our new eye mask.”
4. Fragrance Layering
Fragrance layering is reshaping how consumers use scent. Rooted in ancient traditions where fragrance carried ritual and cultural meaning, layering is being revived by Gen Z and millennials thanks to the indie fragrance communities on TikTok. Beauty brands encouraging mixing, and “fragrance wardrobes” have helped turn scent into a game of sorts that encourages participation and widespread sharing. The trend extends beyond personal fragrance into environments and experiences, with layered scents in various formats bridging the gap between fragrance, wellness, and home. Emerging technologies, including smart fragrance systems and AI tools, are further personalizing scent throughout the day, making fragrance a dynamic expression of individuality.
5. Ready Is the New Well
The 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles shocked the world with its scale and destruction, but it wasn’t the only natural disaster to strike last year. There was also a devastating earthquake in Myanmar, and the category-5 hurricane Melissa that hit Jamaica. As these climate-related disasters become more frequent, preparedness is emerging as a new pillar of preventive wellness.
The next wave of wellness reframes resilience around readiness, positioning disaster planning alongside fitness and mental health as an essential life skill. This shift integrates physical preparedness, psychological support, and community interdependence into a single continuum of care.
For the wellness industry, this could look like gyms and fitness studios doubling as emergency shelters, retreats incorporating readiness training, and meeting a growing demand for resilient, disaster-proof design. Beyond infrastructure, GWS believes that the opportunity lies in addressing both anticipatory anxiety and post-crisis recovery. Wellness brands can win by offering practical, proven solutions that restore a sense of safety as disruption becomes unavoidable.
6. Skin Longevity Replaces Anti-Aging
Anti-aging has long been on its way out of favor, but its replacement looks surprisingly similar. Skin longevity is the newest trend reshaping beauty and wellness, with a focus on optimizing skin health and function over time. Rather than focusing on reducing wrinkles or promoting a “youthful” appearance, skin longevity blends biotechnology, advanced diagnostics, proactive skincare, and holistic wellness, reframing skin as both the body’s largest organ and a marker of overall health. (Fewer wrinkles and dark spots are simply an added benefit.)
Driven by longer lifespans and demand for preventative, personalized care, the movement is gaining momentum through significant scientific investment and innovation, from advanced skin diagnostics to regenerative ingredients and treatments. Brands like Timeline are positioning themselves as longevity platforms rather than being just another skincare brand. The concept is expanding beyond facial skincare to include hair and scalp longevity, signaling a broader shift toward long-term regeneration, healthspan, and personalized skin performanc
7. The Festivalization of Wellness
Inspired by rave and festival culture, this new wave of wellness gatherings respond to economic stress, digital fatigue, and social fragmentation by centering connection, collective energy, and emotional release. Wellness raves, sober dance parties, somatic movement experiences, and mass-participation fitness festivals reframe well-being as social, experiential, and identity-driven rather than soulless, prescriptive routines. From grief raves and headphone-led somatic dance experiences like Sanctum’s mindful movement to large-scale fitness festival competitions like Hyrox, wellness is becoming more playful, inclusive, and culturally charged.
8. Women and Sports Goes Mainstream
As the women’s sports economy surges, women’s athletics are moving decisively from the margins to the mainstream, reshaping fitness, media, fashion, and culture. New professional leagues and culture-forward events are driving record attendance and global viewership, while women’s sports bars and fan communities are rapidly expanding. Female athletes such as Coco Gauff and Ilona Maher are emerging as powerful cultural and commercial figures, launching fashion, beauty, and performance brands and building media platforms that amplify women’s voices.
Amy Eisinger, who authored this trend for GWS, also spoke to the trickle-down effect that this trend is having on the masses, as seen in the various sports leagues popping up in cities across the world.
“Pickleball, of course, has exploded on the sports scene, and women are really leading the trend, especially in some of these more non-traditional sports, like table tennis and badminton,” Eisinger said at the media conference.
This momentum is also changing how women move and train. Today, women of all ages are embracing strength, participation, and community over thinness, which reigned supreme for girls and women in the 1990s and early 2000s. Together, these shifts signal a structural, long-term transformation in sport, wellness, and power.
9. Tackling Microplastics as a Human Health Issue
Microplastics have moved beyond an environmental issue to a growing human health and wellness concern. These particles are now detected in blood, lungs, placentas, and even the brain. Early research links microplastic exposure with potential side effects, including inflammation, hormonal disruption, and cardiovascular disease.
Harvard-trained public health researcher and professor Gerry Bodeker, PhD, who authored this trend for GWS, called microplastics “a species-wide threat to longevity and health span.” Bodeker also chairs GWI’s Mental Wellness Initiative and co-chairs GWI’s Microplastics Watch Initiative.
As awareness grows, wellness and medical sectors are shifting toward reducing exposure to these microplastics by switching to plastic-free consumer products, and are even embracing intervention, including private detox-style treatments. GWS predicts that microplastics may soon become a standard health metric, raising urgent questions about reducing microplastic loads in the body before long-term health consequences escalate. Adopting “microplastic-conscious” solutions, such as filtered water, sustainable packaging, and eco-linen products are part of the solution, but real, meaningful impact requires reducing microplastics at the source and aligning with global frameworks like the UN Plastics Treaty.
GWS expects to see more wellness clinics offering treatments aimed at removing microplastics from the body through plasma exchange, or plasmapheresis, despite the fact that these types of treatments are scientifically unproven. The report highlights that reducing levels of microplastics in the blood does not guarantee the removal of microplastics from the brain, heart, reproductive system, or other organs.
“This is a very early stage, so this needs to be developed carefully by the medical wellness community,” Bodeker advised. One solution GWS suggests in its report is focusing on activating the innate capacity of the body to eject waste material at the cellular level.
10. Longevity Residences
A new category of wellness real estate, longevity residences seamlessly integrate preventive medicine into daily living. These communities blend advanced diagnostics, concierge medicine, AI-driven personalization, and longevity-focused designed into the home itself. This trend is an evolution of destination wellness clinics, such as Chenot Palace Weggis and Miraval Resorts, that provide immersive, expert-led health programs for travellers who want to make the most out of their vacations and come back a better version of themselves.
“While wellness retreats might be a great catalyst to your wellness journey, real change doesn't happen on vacation,” said McGroarty. “It happens on a Tuesday, in your kitchen, in your bedroom, in the place that you live.”
Projects range from The Estate’s globally networked residences to Australia’s Elysium Fields, Utah’s Velvaere with Fountain Life, and Thailand’s Tri Vananda. Most of these projects are still in the development stage, but GWS predicts an uptick in longevity residences built for the luxury homebuyer. Driven by a desire to live better for longer, and bolstered by longevity tech investment, these homes position health as a lived, long-term lifestyle rather than a one-off service.
“We tend to think about wellness and longevity as programming or activities, things we do in the building, and often the way that the building is actually designed or constructed gets left out,” said Veronica Schreibeis Smith, CEO and Founding Principal of Vera Iconica Architecture & Developments, in conversation with McGroarty at the GWS media conference.
Smith traced the evolution of wellness architecture over the past 15 years, beginning with improvements to airflow, natural light, and biophilic design. About a decade ago, she began seeing demand for in-home biohacking elements such as red light panels, hyperbaric chambers, and cryotherapy or hydrothermal circuits. Today, her work integrates passive diagnostics—like toilets that analyze stool or urine samples and mirrors that surface real-time biomarker insights—flagging anomalies automatically, without requiring users to log, scan, or actively manage their data.
“Wellness is really opening up the architect's job, not only to design the home so that it is a healthy space, but really to help people navigate how they want to take care of themselves and how to set up their home so that these longevity tools actually become part of the infrastructure,” concluded Smith.
