Health Update: Top six wellness trends for 2026 – What Experts Say

Cutting edge advances in science, health and neuropsychoimmunology have led to an understanding of longevity as an optimal “health span”, and not just lifespan, according to the guru of functional wellness Dr Mark Hyman. Here are the latest trends according to local wellness experts.

1. Personalised and preventive

Multidisciplinary wellness practitioner Chantal Deacon Daniel says: “Rather than a one-size-fits all approach, personalised health recognises that each person is unique — genetically, environmentally and in their lifestyle and preferences. This determines the best prevention strategies and lifestyle recommendations for optimising health.” For instance, she says, genetic testing might reveal that you metabolise certain medications differently than average, or that you’re at higher risk for chronic inflammation, or that you’re more prone to insulin resistance, don’t metabolise caffeine well, have a predisposition for lactose intolerance, or perhaps prone to Vitamin D deficiency, to name a few. It’s a shift from reactive to proactive where your genes load the gun, but your lifestyle is the trigger.

Deacon Daniel explains that through the fields of epigenetics and nutrigenomics, DNA testing can allow us to see what your personalised needs are regarding lifestyle, nutrition, supplements, and exercise for optimum gene expression and health. Your genes may never change, but you can control their response, or expression, to stimuli – the epitome of personalised nutrition. “This allows for personalised insights into your health, including areas such as weight management, biological processes, exercise response, resilience, nutritional needs and cognition risks along with many other useful insights,” she says.

Microbiome profiling offers comprehensive information about current gut health that influences digestion, immune function, inflammation, mental health, metabolism, and chronic disease risk. Imbalances are linked to conditions including obesity, diabetes, depression and autoimmune disorders.

Gone are the days of only watching the scale or relying on outdated your body mass index. Deacon Daniel recommends Inbody, the most accurate body composition machine available, that uses bioelectrical impedance analysis (DSM-BIA) to measure body fat, lean muscle, water, visceral fat and caloric needs. “It’s a wonderful tool to assess health and nutrition status,” says Deacon Daniel.

2. Breath and balance

Optimal health isn’t just about our physical state, but about mental and emotional wellbeing. Emotions affect our physical state and vice versa. How resilient and adaptable are we to change without becoming overwhelmed?

Wellness Coach Claire O’Sullivan explains: “It’s about how quickly we return to balance after a challenging situation or stressful moment. When stress hormones like cortisol stay elevated, they negatively impact sleep, mood, digestion, hormones, and long-term health. Research shows that up to 90% of all diseases can be linked to chronic stress, which is why regulating our internal state is so important.”

We build resilience through awareness and daily practices that switch the body out of “fight or flight” mode. Techniques like meditation, breathwork and mindfulness strengthen the ability of the nervous system to find calm and recovery. Over time, this makes us more adaptable and emotionally grounded, no matter life’s curveballs.

O’Sullivan specialises in 9D Breathwork. Grounded in neuroscience and somatics, it’s a multi-sensory, guided breathwork journey combining breath patterns with sound, vibration, music, subliminal messaging, and cinematic audio. Think turbo-charged meditation with all the bells and whistles.

“9D uses cutting-edge audio technology to tap into specific brainwave states that support emotional release, nervous-system regulation, and neuroplasticity to rewire old brain pathways to create new emotional responses.”

3. Sustainable and planet-conscious

Consumers are more conscious than ever before — they want to know the story behind the products they use, including in the wellness arena. Global fitness brand WaterRower | NOHRD, which recently opened its first brand store in Cape Town, blends sustainable materials, thoughtful design, and high performance to create equipment that enhances both body and space.

“As people increasingly integrate fitness into their daily lives, they want equipment that benefits their body, their space and the planet,” says Dominik Kuprecht, CEO. “Sustainably sourced hardwoods like oak, ash, walnut and cherry form the core of our products, and we control every step from sawmill to finished piece, repurposing wood waste along the way. But design matters just as much as function – our compact, versatile pieces are crafted to look as good as they perform, supporting wellness while reducing waste.”

Another example of this sustainable ethos is Sealand Gear, a brand turning upcycled textiles into stylish, durable gear while actively reducing waste and carbon footprint.

4. Mindful and tech-smart wellness

Now that AI is at the forefront of everything, how can we use it to enhance our human experience rather than detract from it or replace it?

Business and personal coach Paula Brown of Chia Life says: “When we never disconnect, we lose access to deeper states of focus, rest and presence. These are not luxuries, they are essential for a healthy, happy and sustainable life.”

“Mindful tech use is not about abandoning technology, it’s an ongoing practice of creating boundaries – turning off notifications, using app time-locks, phone-free zones, and app purges. Keep what adds value. Let go of what consumes you. The aim is not control but awareness.”

AI and wearables turn wellness from guesswork into precision to empower your health and transform how we age. These tools track sleep, heart rate, stress patterns and recovery, offering real-time feedback that help us take informed decisions, making healthy habits easier to sustain, and to create habits that stick. The information can play an important role in building optimal wellbeing.

Brown runs The Blueprint Lab, an AI-infused coaching journey designed to give people clarity, confidence and direction. Participants explore their identity, values, vision, beliefs, strengths and behavioural patterns to articulate a future that feels aligned. “Technology’s role is to offer insights, acting as a mirror. When combined with human facilitation, it enhances self-awareness and helps to design rhythms that are more personal and true to who they are,” she says.

5.⁠ ⁠Joyful movement

We’ve moved away from the idea of hardcore exercise all the time and into the realm of integrating different types of inclusive movement into daily life. The adage of “no pain, no gain” is gone, and replaced by pushing out of your comfort zone while still respecting and listening to the messages of your body.

Instead of showing up and giving 100% all the time, consistency is the key. For menopausal women, the idea of “strong over skinny” has taken root with females of all ages lifting weights to keep their bones and muscles in shape as they age.

Recovery time is redefined with an emphasis on the importance of sleep. It’s not about life/work balance, but rather about harmony and integration. This means accepting that different parts take priority at different times, and that things are rarely, if ever, all in sync at the same time.

“This requires being truthful about our priorities. Instead of trying to do everything moderately well, it’s about going deep where it matters and maintaining what is essential elsewhere, adjusting when the season changes. Presence becomes the measure, not productivity – this is when you begin to feel that your life truly belongs to you,” says Brown.

6.⁠ ⁠Workplace wellness

Since the pandemic, it’s become mainstream globally for employees to have access to wellness coaching as well as other services to ensure optimal wellness personally and professionally — these two areas are interconnected, impacting each other.

Having implemented the wellness programme in one of SA’s largest financial service institutions, I witness senior executives suffering from physical and mental burnout find purpose and manage stress in the support offered.

The return on investment for wellness programmes is evidenced by less absenteeism, a decrease in staff turnover, higher productivity, efficiency and morale, to name a few benefits. A culture of wellbeing is embedded into the workplace rather than something employees engage with in their own time.

SA is behind the curve, but fast catching up, with the most pioneering companies instituting wellness initiatives and hence making them more desirable workplaces. Psychological safety, emotional support, and better boundaries are seen as something to be celebrated rather than stigmatised in the “always on” hustle culture of yore.

I’ve instituted top-down coaching support and wellness workshops into businesses which quickly realise that happier, healthier and more motivated employees impact their bottom line and foster a staff complement who feel valued and more empowered.