What Wellness Trends get Wrong about Wellbeing
In a world awash with “wellness” innovation whether it be gadgets, retreats, viral routines, it is tempting to equate novelty with progress. Yet as the global and UK wellness economy soars, many individuals still feel more anxious, more fragmented and less grounded. The question isn’t whether the tools are good, it is whether they align with the deeper truths of wellbeing that endure beyond the hype.
The booming wellness economy (and how it masks something)
Consider the scale. The UK’s wellness market reached US$224 billion in 2022, ranking it the fifth largest internationally. European Spa Magazine+3PRWeb+3Global Wellness Institute+3 The UK also led in growth among the top-25 markets—19.4% annual growth from 2020-22. Global Wellness Institute+1 Globally, the mental wellness market alone is valued at around US$159 billion in 2024 and projected to grow significantly. insightaceanalytic.com+1
At first glance, these numbers suggest optimism: more investment, more choices, more tools. But here’s the tension: more does not always equal deeper. In the UK: a study found that 58% of Brits say wellbeing trends didn’t work for them. Professional Beauty The result? Growing disillusionment alongside the boom.
This gap between high-spend, high-hype wellness, and lower-felt resilience or connection is exactly where the “core truths” of wellbeing become important.
The weird and wonderful world of wellness trends
Before we go deeper, let’s spotlight some of the trends. Some are harmless fun; others raise questions about depth, longevity and value.
A listing of bizarre wellness fads of 2024 included “bum sun-bathing,” “animal yoga,” “wellness vaping,” “bee-venom therapy.” thesun.co.uk
Another UK source flagged that hot & cold water therapies (11% of respondents), magnesium supplements (7%), digital detoxing (4%) and the “cortisol face” trend (3%) were among the more commonly tried wellness practices in 2024. Professional Beauty
Search data showed an 8× rise in searches for lion’s mane mushrooms in the UK between Sept 2023-Aug 2024. Bupa
“Cryotherapy / cold-plunge therapy” had a 126% increase in searches in 2024 per spa-industry data. SpaSeekers
None of these trends are inherently bad, but when they dominate the conversation, they divert attention from what enduring wellbeing actually requires. Let’s talk about where they fall short.
Where many wellness trends miss the mark
Here are a few key ways the wellness industry can lose the plot:
Emphasis on addition, not alignment. The logic often reads: "New gadget + new protocol = better me.” But wellbeing is less about stacking than about integrating. If you invest in a cold-plunge device but still skip sleep, blur work/life boundaries and feel disconnected, then the device becomes compensation, not foundation.
Short-term novelty, weak longevity. Many trending “experiences” bring novelty and social experiences but little research on lasting impact. The boom in cold immersion or expensive retreat therapies may spark a sensation, but does it lead to sustainable behavioural change?
Marketing beats mechanism. When the rhetoric of “wellbeing” becomes more important than the actual state of being well, we risk elevating style over substance. “Wellness” becomes a badge, rather than a lived reality.
Over-focus on external tools, under-focus on internal practices. What often misses: nervous-system regulation, emotional awareness, social connection, meaning and rhythm. Trends may offer novelty, but often sideline the deeper truths that undergird sustainable health.
The Core Truths of Wellbeing (that outlast the hype)
Let me outline five “core truths” I come back to as a Health & Wellbeing Strategist. These are the anchors or the underlying beliefs that hold up wellbeing, no matter what surface trend is passing.
Connection matters more than consumption. You could spend thousands on self-care gadgets. But if you’re isolated, lacking belonging or unable to share yourself, the internal cost will show. Belonging, trust, emotional safety are indispensable.
Rhythm trumps intensity. The body, mind and nervous system function best when allowed consistent rhythms of rest, movement, stillness and sociality. A one-off ice plunge or “bio-hack” can be fun, but what matters is the daily rhythm you build.
Awareness comes before action. Trends push action. But without awareness of what’s really going on, how you’re feeling, what you’re avoiding the action is superficial. You can’t heal what you can't name.
Simplicity often beats sophistication. The more novel the tool, the more seduction in it but complexity doesn’t always help. Sometimes the core truth is just: eat well, move, connect, rest. They aren’t flashy, but they rely on centuries of evidence and still matter.
Integrity is non- negotiable. You can’t outsource your inner world entirely. A gadget can support you, a retreat can recharge you, but your own consistency, alignment and values are the backbone. The wellness industry cannot live your life for you.
Why we chase trends anyway
It’s worth asking: why are we so drawn to the next “wellness thing”?
Novelty stimulates dopamine. The new looks cool, shareable, social-media friendly.
It offers a sense of control “I’m doing something proactive”.
It distracts from deeper discomfort "If I’m doing ice baths, maybe I don’t need to ask the hard questions".
Social pressure: when everyone’s chasing the next wellness fad, doing nothing begins to feel like falling behind.
Crucially, chasing novelty often delays the deeper work that lasts. We mistake the tool for the transformation.
Toward a new definition of wellbeing
Here’s a good marker: Wellbeing isn’t just “what I do” but “how I show up” to my life. When you pick your next wellness investment, ask yourself:
Which core truth does this support?
Will this be valuable in 6 months? 6 years?
Is this enabling me to be more aware, more connected, more rested, not just performing a trend?
To close the conversation
Wellness trends will come and go, some with positive intention, others with more gloss than grounding. But if we let them dominate the narrative, we risk losing sight of the quieter truths: connection, rhythm, awareness, simplicity, integrity. When the novelty fades, what remains is the life you’ve built, the relationships you tend, the rest you honour, the awareness you hold. Those are the markers of real wellbeing. So next time you see the latest “must-try” wellness hack, take a breath. Ask yourself: Does this help me live my core truths? Or am I just staying busy chasing another trend? Because in the end, the most lasting change doesn’t come from gadgets or headlines, it comes from aligning with what’s always been true.
To help you get started on this journey of deeper self discovery and wellbeing, I have created a Core Truths Insight Session which helps you name, acknowledge the root cause and find simple strategies to move forward with.
For more details, email nicole@coretruthssystem.com
