The wellness trends set to shape the market in 2025

Wellness tourism is diversifying dramatically as today’s cross-generational tribe of enlightenment seekers strives for mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. A big contributor to the agenda for well-being is Six Senses Wellness Pioneer, Anna Bjurstam. Who holds over 25 years of experience and is at the forefront of what it means to be mentally, physically, and spiritually well. In an article written in Boutique Hotelier Here, Anna shares insights into what will shape the sphere of wellness in the year ahead.

2024

Waving Goodbye to Wearables

“Tech has been transformational in helping us tune into our body’s patterns and processes. Today we seem to track everything from fertility to fitness. However, should humans be beholden to AI for all eternity? This dependency on devices can give a less accurate reading than if we were to tune into our bodies and listen to the signals it send us. Many of us can testify to tech telling us we’ve had a bad night’s sleep and as a result end up feeling fatigued and foggy for the rest of the day. Wearables are useful for handy intel, especially when worn for a limited time to gather data or as a part of ongoing research, but there’s always room for finding intuitive methods to bring people back in tune with their biology and body’s natural rhythm.”

Spiritual Wellbeing: Embrace The Moment

“The rise in ‘spiritual travel’ underlines increased interest in pursuing a more meaningful way of life. Gone are the days of striving for picture-perfect moments to populate a social media feed and instead, rather refreshingly, we notice more people are stripping away distractions to uncover simplicity, focus, and a heightened sense of self-awareness. A deeper connection to something bigger than oneself… their place, purpose, or the people that surround them. What was considered niche is now highly popular with guests of all ages and children love the tactile nature of our singing bowls and labyrinths too.”

SOS: Save Our Sleep

“The hiatus of holidays offers opportunities for a good night’s sleep, but more than that, they give space to address problematic sleep patterns. The major challenge here is the many variables that can affect sleeping soundly; everything from diet, exercise, and caffeination, to screen time, stress, and other lifestyle factors.
“Sleep tourism began trending at the end of 2022 and is set only to continue. Last year, the American Psychological Association highlighted how 37 percent of US adults seek ways to address cognitive functioning, stress, and anxiety management1. In the years since little has changed. Sleep continues to rank as the second-highest health and wellness priority for consumers and perhaps as a direct result of increasing dependence and demands from digital devices, the Global Wellness Institute notes an increase in 17.5 percent of us suffering from good quality and consistent sleep patterns2.”

Live Long. Live Well.

“Healthspan is the new wellness buzzword: it’s no longer about how long you live, but how well you live too. Those in their 50s and beyond are much more active, as Gen X accounts for 30 percent of the $282 billion adventure market, and about 38 percent of the lifestyle and jetsetter market3.
“Whereas longevity was once considered fringe, evidence is mounting that humans can effectively slow down the rate of aging. Everything from biohacking to Blue Zones has become the topic of mainstream conversation and Sunday supplements. However, the quest for longevity is a personal journey and while Six Senses cannot promise a magic elixir or Holy Grail, it can offer science-backed insights and lifestyle inspiration. We’re working with proven longevity strategies to induce autophagy (longevity fasting) and decrease senescent cells (zombie cells) and checking out how we could apply the latest studies in mTOR to regulate cell growth and AMPK to regulate energy intake and expenditure to influence the composition of body fat.”

2025

The Power of Togetherness

“We live in an age of a loneliness epidemic. Many more people are living solo or adopting a transient lifestyle as they travel, making it harder than ever to find human connection. As we learn from Blue Zone regions, where people have lived long into later life, rich social interactions are vital for longevity. People are increasingly seeking to find their tribe, build bonds with like-minded individuals, and feel part of a community, no matter where they are in the world.”

Pleasure Seeking

“Many things give us a hit of happiness, but not all sources of dopamine were created equal. Simply put, good dopamine makes us feel good, while bad dopamine has the opposite effect. This vital neurotransmitter is essential for regulating responses such as movement, emotion, motivation, and the feeling of pleasure, but modern stress is playing havoc with our nervous systems.
“Too often, we operate on autopilot and do not register behaviors that could be negatively impacting our nervous system. Such things include reaching for our phones the moment we wake or jumping for junk food and neglecting exercise when tight for time. On the contrary, being aware of things that make us feel good like being surrounded by loved ones, taking ourselves to extraordinary places, and exploring our passions can allow us to find the feel-good factor in more positive places. By increasing our cognizance of activities that influence our dopamine response, we can naturally regulate our nervous system and promote better hormone harmony as we build healthier habits.”

Hormonal Health

“Hormones play a pivotal role in all facets of our health, from mood to energy and libido to hunger, yet only come into our consciousness when we experience an imbalance. Fluctuation is normal – women experience this as they navigate the menstrual cycle. Men too can expect similar symptoms – such things as fatigue, mood swings, loss of muscle mass, and more – as testosterone plummets with age.
“The World Economic Forum recognizes the gender health gap, with one key area being the lack of persistent data on female hormones and health, and the lack of available data reaching women4. What’s pertinent is that such research is sparking conversation hopefully having a positive effect on destigmatizing the seasons of life and allowing people to embrace the beauty of aging.”

Diet Dining

“Appetites are on the decline as injectable weight loss programs peak in popularity. As dining habits evolve, 2025 could see nutrient-dense small plates hitting a rising number of restaurant menus as the way we fuel ourselves evolves in response to a new way of eating. Such dishes would be designed to nourish the body, whilst responding to reduced hunger for hearty meals.”

By Zoe Monk

November 27, 2024

The wellness trends set to shape the market in 2025