The wellness trends for 2025 worth knowing about, from mitochondrial health to AI therapists

The new year will reshape how you think about health and wellbeing if these trends have anything to do with it

Fitness and wellbeing editor

Thursday 09 January 2025 12:01 GMT

You'll be seeing more of these trends in 2025 (The Independent / iStock)

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The wellness industry has grown to dizzying new heights over the past decade – now worth approximately £4.9 trillion – and 2024 alone brought us some of the most significant innovations in the history of human health. In the coming year though, we can expect to see new developments across health and wellbeing, some controversial and some comforting.

From biohackers attempting to cheat the passage of time to fascinating studies into how we might eradicate clinical depression, does 2025 hold the answer to better mental and physical wellbeing for all? And which trends, if any, should we be wary of?

We spoke with experts in the wellness space and shared our own projections for what to expect this year. Keep reading for all the wellness trends worth knowing about in 2025…

Preventative medicine will go mainstream

Healthcare professionals are increasingly offering services they describe as “holistic” and “preventative”. But what does this mean exactly? Doctor Samantha Decombel of DNA testing company Fitness Genes explains: “I’ve spoken to a lot of functional medicine doctors recently, some of them have come out of the NHS. I had one that told me, ‘we need to stop fishing people out the river and go upstream and see why they’re falling in’. That resonates, it’s that preventative approach that matters.”

Preventative medicine comprises a huge spectrum of testing and analysis, lifestyle changes, treatments and protocols that can identify risks and prevent ill health. Preventative medicine can also support individuals with existing conditions and prevent those conditions from worsening. From at-home health testing services to platforms that connect physical therapists with clients, we’ll see a huge rise in people seeking to take their wellbeing into their own hands in 2025.

“Plugging gaps left by struggling healthcare services, next-level facilities bringing movement, medicine and cutting-edge treatments under one roof are shifting the traditional healthcare model from reactive to proactive,” explains Dr Enayat, the founder of HUM2N longevity clinic.

However, there is a darker side to this trend. As a stretched public healthcare system fails to meet the needs of those who rely on it, it will become more necessary for people to turn to preventative medicine to avoid serious health issues which the NHS might not be able to support them through. The creators of Zoe recently slashed the prices of their health monitoring app in a bid to help people think seriously about preventive nutrition and avoid a “full-scale national health crisis”.

Say hello to AI coaches, therapists and PTs

If having a robot life coach sounds more like the plot of a film than a real-life scenario, we’re sorry to inform you that you have some catching up to do. AI therapists, personal trainers and wellbeing coaches are on the rise and platforms offering smart prompts, helpful chat bots and algorithmically generated health and lifestyle plans will be everywhere in 2025.

As AI becomes more intuitive and informed, and we rely more on wearable technology and data-led insights into our wellbeing, we might soon become totally dependent on AI for advice on how to live healthier lifestyles. However, where therapy is concerned, we’re perhaps not ready to say goodbye to the human touch just yet.

Relationship therapist Stina Sanders recently conducted an experiment in which she pitted herself against ChatGPT. The aim was to see whether a human could offer better relationship advice than an AI with access to a wealth of information on relationships and therapeutic modalities. Sanders and ChatGPT gave almost identical answers, which goes to show how far AI has come. Though GPT lacked the empathy, nuance and presence of a human therapist.

Sanders explains: “Issues like data security and the potential biases in AI systems are significant concerns. However, AI can make therapy way more accessible, especially for those who can’t afford or easily attend traditional sessions. It could complement traditional therapy, offering support between sessions and helping with long wait times – ultimately bridging the gap.”

Health drinks will overtake health foods

Off the back of Stanley cup fever and 2024’s #watertok content craze, our obsession with staying hydrated will be met with specialist health drinks and 2025 will be the year of hydration. We’re already seeing healthy goal setting challenges pop up on every social platform and the one thing almost every list has in common is a hydration goal – be that consuming a certain amount of water, simply remembering to drink more each day or choosing filtered water and electrolyte drinks over tap water and fizzy drinks.

We’ll see health drinks for every imaginable need hit the shelves this year. So prepare to say hello to collagen drinks, gut health drinks, sleep drinks, healthy booze alternatives and adaptogenic libations, all with scientific credentials and impossibly cool marketing. Supermarkets will make space for far more healthy drinks than ever before, from herbal hot chocolates to natural energy drinks.

However, be aware that just because something is marketed as being healthy, that doesn’t mean it’s free of sugar, preservatives, additives or other dubious ingredients. Always check the label and remember that there’s no pressure to quaff protein water if you don’t want to.

Longevity will be the word on everyone’s lips

Forget anti-ageing, this year the focus is longevity. We’ll be hearing a lot more about how to live well for longer and new ways to hack our health using supplements, treatments like infrared saunas and cold therapy, and lifestyle and diet changes such as walking 10,000 steps a day and eating 30 plants a week. Tips on optimising our life spans and feeling more energised as we age will be everywhere, with some taking the advice more seriously than others.

Biohacker Bryan Johnson’s new documentary for Netflix, Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, charts the 47 year-old’s extreme commitment to the science of longevity. Though the show might offer a few useful takeaways to bring into the new year, Johnson’s methods are on another level compared with those we mere mortals might be employing in 2025.

Nonetheless, the daily stretching exercises we do, diet changes we make and brain health supplements we take now, could set us up for a longer and more enjoyable life later down the line so longevity is not a trend to ignore.

Neurocosmetics will become the next big thing

In 2025 our skincare will be targeted to affect our stress levels, not just our skin texture. Beauty and skincare will continue to make use of nootropic ingredients and we’ll see the beauty industry join forces with wellness to offer neurocosmetic products and treatments. A face cream that boosts serotonin and regulates cortisol? What’s not to love?

“Customers are increasingly searching for science-backed products that address their wellness concerns and whose claims are supported by evidence. As a consequence, neurocosmetics bridge the gap between accessible daily routines and trusted neuroscientific research to help everyday wellness,” explains Dr Anna Persaud, CEO of beauty brand This Works.

However, be aware that this is uncharted territory and not everything will do exactly what the packaging promises. Wellness washing will be rife in this area as the trend snowballs so keep an eye out for quality ingredients, third party studies and experts you trust to help you navigate the world of mood-boosting beauty and the wonders of the skin-brain axis.

Regenerative beauty treatments will replace Botox and filler

We’ll be seeing exosomes, polynucleotides and plasma therapy in place of hyaluronic acid filler and forehead tox. Frankly, it’s about time too. Though filler and botox have some brilliant uses, they’re limited in their power – they can improve appearance but can’t do a great deal for the health of skin.

In 2025 we’ll be opting for preventative and regenerative beauty treatments that encourage healthy cell growth and glowing skin, rather than filling and freezing the signs of ageing and damage. Beauty is a science and as medispas and aesthetic doctors look to lasers and stem cells, we’ll be leaving filler behind.

We’ll go granular with mitochondrial health

As the focus on regenerative beauty and wellbeing takes hold, we’ll all be thinking a lot more about the health of our cells. Though we might never have spared a thought for them in the past, cellular health will be huge in 2025.

“As we see a shift towards preventative healthcare and greater accountability for our own wellbeing, mitochondrial health is in the spotlight. These tiny cellular powerhouses found in our cells, generate ATP, the body’s energy currency,” explain the experts at W-Wellness, a health concierge and nutrition consultancy.

“Mitochondria play a central role in reducing disease risk and boosting energy, which is largely driving the growing interest in this area of health; it’s at the centre of longevity, biohacking and chronic disease prevention.”

We’ll turn to bespoke protocols and data driven results

It’s one thing reading that everyone in the UK should be taking Vitamin D but it’s another knowing just how deficient you are and how much you should personally be taking. As well as whether there are any risks. Personalised testing, tailored wellbeing routines and data that reflects your unique health needs will be the only way to go in 2025. Fortunately, there’s a raft of companies that have risen to meet the demand for a bespoke approach to living well.

“The growing appetite for data is reflected in the surge in popularity of wearable tech such as continuous glucose monitors and Oura rings,” explain the experts at W-Wellness. “Tracking our own health markers allows us to make changes specifically to benefit our own health status, personalising support for individual goals such as better sleep, more energy, even regulating menstrual cycles.”

Being able to check the data from our fitness trackers and use platforms that offer personalised testing means we can also be safer in our choices and avoid taking supplements we don’t need to be taking or risking injury with the wrong kinds of exercise for our bodies. It also means being able to identify possible health risks and work around them.

We’ll see a return to natural and seasonally influenced ingredients

As the debate around ultra-processed foods rages on, we’re all becoming increasingly aware of what’s in our food – not to mention what’s in our beauty products, home fragrances and cleaning supplies. From endocrine-disrupting chemicals to gut-disturbing preservatives, we’ll all be checking labels more and opting for fewer ingredients in 2025.

Whole foods, organic foods and products made without toxic chemicals and carcinogens will become more popular, especially with younger generations. However, wellness washing is likely to trip you up here too, so be on the lookout for “clean beauty” products and “healthy foods” that secretly contain harmful ingredients. Check the label, check the website and turn to your trusted experts for advice.

Gut health will continue its glow up

Gut health was everywhere in 2024 with new recipes and research from Professor Tim Spector and fascinating studies into the power of the gut-brain axis, but we really only scratched the surface when it came to the magic of the gut. There’s a lot more to unpack in 2025 and we’ll be seeing new research into the gut’s influence on every aspect of our lives, as well as how to take better care of our digestive health with food, drinks and supplements.

We’ll see more on the relationship between gut health and skin, gut health and mental wellbeing and gut health and hormones. Prepare to be amazed by the impact of estrobolome (the gut bacteria responsible for regulating oestrogen metabolism) on your menopause journey.

Now’s the time to learn the difference between your pro, pre and postbiotics, find out which bacteria are goodies and which are baddies and how they can impact anything from your breath to your sleep and how often you need to buy a tube of Canesten.

We’ll be living high performance lifestyles

2025 will be the year you get competitive about last night’s sleep score with your colleagues over a morning coffee, rather than who drank the most pints. Tracking sleep, stress and recovery using fitness trackers, smart rings and other wearables will propel us all into a performance mindset.

“We’re becoming ‘mini athletes’, using technology, research and routines previously reserved for elite performers, to supercharge our health and happiness,” says Dan Murray-Serter, the co-founder of supplement brand Heights. “We’ve already seen this with the rise of sleep tracking, but in 2025, the high performance habits we adopt will diversify and become more sophisticated, as we delve deeper into the research.”

As Whoop’s founder Will Ahmed told The Independent last year: “You can only really manage what you measure.” So, whether your goal is to sleep better, get a new PB or learn how to meditate, tracking your progress and performance is likely to help you get there this year.

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