6 hours agoShareSaveRuth Clegg Health and wellbeing reporter ShareSaveGetty ImagesWellbeing has become such a priceless (or in many cases pricey) endeavour that we can’t seem to get enough of it.Last year, we were mainlining magnesium, consuming creatine – a muscle boosting supplement that became mainstream, and we turned to AI chatbots for help with anything from a personalised training regime to a daily meal plan.And, that’s against a backdrop of more than a million people paying privately for weight loss drugs, in some cases completely transforming their relationship with food and exercise.What is the multi-trillion pound industry focussing on in 2026? Several experts give us their thoughts on what’s on the wellbeing agenda.RecoveryIf 2025 was about smashing targets at the gym, tracking runs to the second and lifting heavier and heavier weights, then this year is all about recovery.Jak Phillips, a growth director from global fitness brand Les Mills, says it’s no longer about no pain no gain, something that “fitness has built on for years”.”Technology has made us so much smarter now,” he says. “It’s no longer about training ourselves into the ground.”He says smartwatches have revolutionised our understanding of what it means to be fit.By tracking our movement and our heart rate they tell us when to have rest days, warn us if we have trained too hard and highlight days when our fitness levels are “peaking”.”Now we have more data and understanding of our wellbeing – we can give ourselves a break.”Factor in rest days, reframe them as a way of staying fit, rather than “taking time off”, he says.Getty ImagesAnd with that, a relatively new acronym will begin to seep into our consciousness, Mr Phillips predicts. This year will be about JOMO instead of FOMO.”So many of us can relate to FOMO – the Fear Of Missing Out – but what if we stop trying to keep across everything?”Why don’t we experience JOMO – the Joy Of Missing Out?”FOMO was first recognised by the Oxford Dictionary back in 2004, where we compare our lives to others, and put pressure on ourselves to keep up in a world that’s often been created by our sparkling, shiny socials.Now, more than 20 years later, a counter movement is growing to reduce the anxiety that often comes with worrying about what others are doing and trying not to spread ourselves too thinly.It’s not just as simple as saying no to things, Mr Phillips says, it’s about learning to be more comfortable in ourselves and not needing external validation for how we choose to live our lives – whether that’s the frequency of our workouts or how often we socialise.”It’s about understanding what’s right for you, and not feeling guilt or shame for prioritising yourself,” he says.Brain boosting”Boosting, that’s the key word here,” Rachel Chatterton, a product director at Holland Barrett explains.”Our customers are super interested in anything that gives them a boost – and this year will be about boosting their brain power.”Nootropics, supplements which purportedly enhance cognition which are sometimes referred to as “smart drugs”, have been around for decades, but it’s only in the past few years that their appeal has really taken off.These should not be confused with regulated pharmaceutical drugs which can help with conditions like ADHD, narcolepsy and Alzheimer’s disease and should only be taken with a diagnosed medical condition.By 2030, the likes of lion’s mane, ashwagandha and L-theanine could be commanding an $11bn (£8bn) size slice of the wellbeing market.There may only be a number of small studies that suggest these supplements can improve cognition, enhance memory and reduce stress but Ms Chatterton says the market, especially among Gen Z, is booming.Getty Images”They are so …
