What’s trending in wellness right now (2026 Edition)

Wellness is an incredibly exciting place at the moment because knowledge is growing and becoming more readily available than ever before, from high-tech innovation to holistic rituals to maximise inner balance, outer glow, and ultimately feel our best.

Red light therapy: The glow-up technology

Red light therapy has exploded in popularity, moving from clinical settings to home wellbeing thanks to masks, home saunas, mats, and wearable devices. At its core, it uses low-level wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to stimulate cellular repair.

Why is red light therapy trending?

Forbes writes: “In 2025, the global red light therapy market reached more than $440 million, and it’s expected to reach or even exceed $658 million by 2032.”

So, what’s behind its popularity?

• Much of the hype is driven by beauty promises, with many claims it results in improved skin tone, reduced wrinkles, and collagen stimulation.
• However, it’s also used for muscle recovery, inflammation reduction, and even sleep support, with lots of professional sportspeople using it for 20 years or more.
• With the advent of more accessible ways to use red light therapy - including home saunas, and especially LED face masks both available for home use and in spas, red light therapy has taken off in a new way amongst celebrities and influencers. It’s not that it’s new in itself, but the ways of accessing it have become much more mainstream.

What does the evidence say about red light therapy?

While it’s true to say the research is a bit limited when it comes to beauty outcomes, there is credible scientific support backing many of its benefits, and arguably just as important is the anecdotal evidence where people feel better in themselves as a result of the therapy. Key areas include:

• Skin conditions like acne and inflammation
• There is evidence showing that red light therapy helps with pain relief and tissue repair
• Research indicates it can improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, and enhance overall skin tone
• It is showing signs of being an effective, non-invasive treatment for hair growth.
• Some research does indeed show a correlation between red light therapy and improved sleep.

Eye massagers: Screen fatigue meets self-care

Ever feel you’re spending too much time in front of a screen and your eyes just need a good rub? Well, eye massagers have become a popular wellness gadget, especially amongst remote workers and digital natives for just this reason.

Generally in this context we’re talking about wearable tech putting itself to good - affordable use, although spa devotees will know that the analogue version has been available for quite some time. In their contemporary context they tend to be in the form of masks or goggles, and use a combination of heat therapy, compression, and vibrations to relieve strain, reduce puffiness, and help ease headaches.

Why are eye massagers trending?

Probably the main reason eye massagers are trending is because we all spend a little too much time in front of our screens. Add to that the comparative affordability of new, high-tech, portable, and - let’s be honest - fairly entertaining apparatus, and it’s a little bit of the spa experience you can take with you wherever you go. Key benefits include:

• Relief from digital eye strain and headaches
• Built-in heat, compression, and sometimes music or meditation
• A portable, spa-like experience

What does the evidence say about eye massagers?

In many ways we don’t need a lot of research to know that having the area around our eyes massaged helps us to feel more relaxed. The evidence that we could find seemed fairly unsupported, except that the New York Times did attest to supporting relaxation. On balance, you're probably not going to go that far wrong with giving them a go if you're curious, but at the same time don't give up on the less tech-driven versions, from cranial massage to deep breathing, rubbing your temples, and of course, stepping away from those screens periodically.

Sauna blankets: At-home heat therapy

Infrared sauna blankets are gaining traction as a space-saving alternative to traditional saunas, as well as a more cost-effective way of bringing heat therapy into the home.

• Interestingly, as there’s a general renaissance and reverence for thermal therapy as a whole - spending time in thermal suites - this is an indication of a much wider trend towards holistic wellbeing and building health into everyday routines.
• They are exactly what they sound like - almost like a sleeping bag, they are made from heat-resistant materials and infrared light, and wrap around the body to raise your temperature and cause sweating - just like a traditional sauna.

Why are sauna blankets trending?

Saunas and the benefits of thermal therapies are not new, so once again, the trend seems to stem from the increased accessibility of items we can use at home, fused with a growing interest in biohacking, holistic wellbeing, and having more influence over our health. Social media has definitely added to the trend, supporting the idea of easily integrating detox and recovery into daily life.

What does the evidence say about sauna blankets?

While there isn’t a plethora of studies on the matter, much like other forms of heat therapy, studies are actually quite supportive of the link between sauna blankets and increased wellbeing in specific areas, including better sleep, improved blood circulation, and muscle recovery.

The bigger wellness shift

What ties all these trends together are two larger movements:

• Firstly towards wellbeing in general, as more people focus on, and invest in longevity, functional nutrition, mindfulness, and in many ways a preventative approach to healthcare.
• Secondly the advent of more tech-driven healthcare that enables people to take more control of their own wellbeing, personalise it, and apply a data-driven approach for better outcomes. That proliferation is also driving down the cost (proportionately) of many of the home care appliances, enabling more people to get involved.

In general, the global wellness economy is booming, with more of us increasingly interested in tools that promise optimisation and longevity. In some ways, that can be a challenge, as we know no single gadget or product will deliver everything, and nothing really replaces the basics - sleep, good nutrition, movement, and human connection.

What’s exciting about all these things is our individual and collective willingness to explore and enjoy our wellbeing, for a happier, healthier approach to life. Ultimately, it’s a good thing to stay curious while staying critical, trying what works for us, but without getting swept up in hype without considering the evidence.