Health Update: New Global Wellness Summit report forecasts top 10 wellness trends for 2026 – What Experts Say

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) has unveiled its 2026 Future of Wellness Trends report, outlining 10 trends that will shape the US$6.8 trillion global wellness industry in the coming year.

Launched today (27 January) during the GWS’ day-long media event in New York, US, the publication showcases a diverse range of trends that will have a significant impact on wellness businesses and consumers worldwide.

Each trend was brought to life through contributions from leading journalists, analysts and wellness specialists, who spotlight the innovators and companies driving each development.

The 150-page report was presented live on stage by trend authors Beth McGroarty, VP of research and forecasting for the GWS and GWI; and Jane Kitchen, media and trends analyst for the GWS and the Spa Business handbook editor.

In her introduction, McGroarty highlighted there have been more shakeups in the wellness market in the last couple of years than in the last 20 overall– and that the changes are contradictory.

McGroarty said: “2026 will be a year of big changes and shake-ups.” She highlighted a polarity between the wellness seekers in the longevity market who want to “optimise themselves to oblivion” versus those seeking a “no-tech, deeply human, social and emotional” approach.

McGroarty highlighted four themes that run through this year’s trends:

The authors believe we will see a backlash against high-tech wellness which will mean offerings pivot to provide meaning over measurement, catharsis over clinical data and self-expression will be preferred to self-surveillance. We will move beyond performance to focus on sensation, emotional repair and embodied care.

In-person, collective experiences that focus on collective release will be important, which the GWI describes as the Festivalisation of Wellness. 

• 2026 will be the year of women

The authors of the report believe major gender inequalities in multibillion-dollar markets will be corrected as longevity pivots to focus on women’s healthspan.

• Longevity will expand in new directions

Longevity will be integrated into different experiences outside of clinics and resort settings.

• Wellness will tackle major environmental human crises

From climate disasters to crises reported in the global news, the report authors think crisis management will become a pillar of wellness – from prevention to survival and resilience.

Here’s an overview of the GWS’ top 10 wellness trends set to shape 2025:

• Women get their own lane in longevity
  

The report says men have dominated the longevity market, but the future is female.

McGroarty said that the longevity market conjures images of “Bryan Johnston in his quest to become 200,” as she lamented “Women’s longevity remains niche or nowhere.” 

Evidence is mounting that women age differently compared to men, with ovarian decline (menopause) dramatically accelerating systemic ageing in women. Women suffer more prevalently and for longer from immune disorders, dementia and osteoporosis. The report authors believe slowing and stopping ovarian decline will be the next big biotech breakthrough. Ovarian ageing tests that use biomarkers that will affect the hormone replacement market, preserving ovarian reserves. 

2. The over-optimisation backlash

Data-driven wellness can tip motivation for wellness into a fixation for those using tracked biometrics to perform at their best. The pressure provided by so many different health markers can lead to paralysis and overwhelm and the backlash will result in experiences that prioritse nervous-system safety, emotional repair and pleasure over metrics. Social saunas, brands that adopt psychological care messaging, scream circles and somatic release classes all promise safety, connection and feeling over function.

3. The rise of neurowellness

Regulating the nervous system is the next frontier of human health, according to the report. Wearables that tracked sleep identified nervous system overload in daily metrics and new “hard care” consumer devices are offering solutions. These include vagus nerve stimulation devices. Traditional “soft care” wellness interventions, such as massage, breathwork and yoga are being re-framed as nervous-system medicine – making them more mainstream, more repeatable and sometimes prescribed. Brain-body research that will focus on whole-system connections will make neurowellness practices more accessible in hospitality and healthcare settings.

4. Fragrance layering

The authors say fragrance is re-emerging as a cultural and emotional language, with consumers using brands that allow them to combine scents to create a personalised olfacturary identity. Consumers are now creating ‘fragrance wardrobes’ with scents for different moods. Technology is helping hospitality and leisure providers to shift aromas in different environments, using AI to respond to different activities, contexts or emotions in a room. Fragrance layering represents opportunities to express creative freedom and identity.

5. Ready is the new well

Disaster readiness is becoming the next evolution of everyday resilience – where a disaster plan is as important as having a fitness plan. This trend highlights that preparing for climate disasters is the new preventative wellness – combining the need for mental health, physical readiness and community interdependence. Gyms and fitness studios could double as emergency shelters and demand for disaster-proof architecture is expected to see a surge.

6. Skin longevity redefines beauty

The concept of skin longevity is replacing the “anti-ageing” messaging. Rather than reversing the unwanted effects of time, the conversation is shifting towards optimising the skin’s health and function over the long term – using biotech, proactive skincare and holistic wellness. New active ingredients and regenerative treatments are creating a new age of personalised preventative care. This extends to the hair longevity market too.

7. The festivalisation of wellness

A new wave of group wellness events is the response to widespread economic stress, social fragmentation and digital overload, according to the authors. These gatherings include wellness raves, sober morning dance events and multi-day immersions – creating experiential, social and identity-driven expressions of wellbeing. With events focused on music, sauna, culture and creative expression, they focus on participation rather than performance. Designed to be judgement-free spaces, they make wellness playful, inclusive and foster a sense of belonging, connection and sustainable joy.

8. Women and sports: the revolution continues

More women will become empowered as athletes as the women’s sports economy booms. Not only is women’s athletics moving from the margins to the mainstream, according to the report authors, but fans of female sport are increasing. Female sports figures are receiving more widespread cultural recognition, with fitness, media and fashion industries taking notice and seeking partnerships. Women are embracing strength over thinness, which the report authors see as both a physical and political act. Together, these shifts signal a structural change in global women’s sport.

9. Tackling microplastics as a human issue

This year will be about taking action, now that we know microplastics have crossed the critical threshold from an environmental problem to a direct human health concern. The particles we ingest, inhale and absorb through everyday consumer products are linked to inflammation, hormonal disruption, cardiovascular disease and potential cognitive effects. Wellness and medical sectors are moving from observation to intervention, with private clinics offering expensive treatments to reduce microplastic loads in the body. The quantity of these substances in our bloodstreams may become a regularly-measured metric. More solutions to reduce exposure at the source are predicted.

10. Longevity residences

Real estate offerings are creating more offerings that have features designed to extend healthy life. Architecture, circadian lighting, diagnostics and concierge medicine are being introduced in holistic longevity-focused communities. These longevity residences are seen as a new category within wellness real estate because they go deeper – tracking biomarkers, personalising care over decades and removing friction from proactive health behaviours. The home is where healthspan gains happen and real estate is adjusting to meet the demand, fueled by an ageing population and soaring investment in longevity technology.

For the full 2026 Future of Wellness Trends report and deeper insights into these transformative trends, visit the official GWS website.