Biggest Wellness Trends 2026 Tried And Tested
I’m sitting in a sealed, submarine-esque chamber breathing in 95% pure oxygen from an airplane emergency mask and counting my blessings that I’m not claustrophobic. No, I’m not embarking on a deep-sea expedition; I’m sitting in a slick wellness clinic in Battersea Power Station, testing its health-boosting Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.After years of late nights, gallons of wine and 736 Deliveroos (yes, an accurate figure), I’m finally ready to take care of myself – and it seems I’m not alone. According to NIQ, people are future-proofing their health, with 57% of the population now prioritising ‘ageing well’ and 55% willing to spend over £100 a month on wellness.But which of the trends you’ve witnessed on TikTok are worth your time and money? I’ve done the hard work for you by testing everything from futuristic Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to ancient Qi Gong to break down exactly what 2026 has in store for your health – plus ways to incorporate these trends into your routine on a budget at home.Hyperbaric Oxygen TherapyHyperbaric Oxygen Therapy involves casually settling down into a military-grade chamber, fixing on an airplane emergency mask and breathing in 90-95% pure oxygen. This apparently helps enhance tissue repair, boost energy levels, support cognitive function, and reduce systemic inflammation – essentially amplifying the body’s natural healing and regenerative mechanisms.“HBOT has been our biggest breakthrough this year,” declares Ashleigh Auckland, Fractional Chief Marketing Officer of Biowell Health. “We’re seeing everyone use it; elite athletes, individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury, women navigating menopause, founders looking to improve cognitive endurance, and anyone wanting faster healing or better brain health.”After an initial panic my ears were going to explode, I’m breathing in pure oxygen and feeling calm and alert – a feeling akin to one I experienced in a Las Vegas nightclub famous for blasting oxygen onto the dancefloor at 5 am to keep gamblers going for longer. I got home and didn’t snap at my kids, I fell asleep within 20 minutes, and a further session genuinely cured my hard-to-banish migraine.Courtesy of Bianca LondonCourtesy of Bianca LondonAdvanced Vagus Nerve Stimulation"I put a little electrode here in my ear. It stimulates my autonomic nervous system, trying to make my body more parasympathetic, more chill,” declared tech millionaire Bryan Johnson on his Netflix documentary, Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever. I want in.However, the ‘little electrode’ that Johnson casually refers to is actually a £599 device called NuroSym by ParaSym. It’s a wearable gadget designed to stimulate the vagus nerve – one of the major nerves that connects your brain to your body and helps regulate automatic functions like heart rate, breathing, digestion, stress response and mood.I clip it onto my ear as I crawl into bed, crank up the notches until I feel a light tingling and let the device work its magic. These tiny signals travel up into the brainstem and interact with the nervous system, boosting the parasympathetic nervous system - your body’s ‘rest and digest’ mode - which counterbalances stress responses. Six months on, and this device has become my nightly ride-or-die. I genuinely sleep deeper and wake feeling more calm and focused.There’s no denying the price tag is off-putting, which is why Tracey Adam, Qi Gong Practitioner & Breath Coach, believes you can stimulate your vagus nerve by simply massaging your ears. “Qi Gong is a slow, gentle practice that blends movement, breath and awareness to help the body feel more balanced and supported. It’s often experienced as a way of softening tension, calming the nervous system and creating a sense of space — physically, mentally and emotionally. One of the reasons Qi Gong is so accessible is that it can be practised at home, with simple, adaptable movements that meet the body where it is. Even a few minutes a day can help restore a feeling of groundedness, ease and connection. Gentle ear massage is sometimes used in Qi Gong, with slow, mindful strokes around the outer ear helping to stimulate the vagus nerve and encourage the body’s natural relaxation response."
