This year’s Global Wellness Summit in Dubai was a clear signal of where the industry is heading next. Being on the ground, you could feel the shift: wellness is no longer a lifestyle add-on. It’s becoming a cultural force, an economic engine and, increasingly, a blueprint for how people will live and age.
Dubai didn’t host GWS by coincidence. The city has positioned itself as a living testbed for longevity, future living and state-backed innovation. And the conversations happening there made one thing obvious — wellness has grown up.
At LMH, we approach events like this with a simple filter: what is noise, and what is genuinely shaping the future?
Here’s what stood out.
Epigenetics has become the industry’s new operating system
The Summit confirmed that epigenetics has moved firmly into the mainstream. The idea that our behaviours can switch genes on or off is no longer niche science — it’s now the framework underpinning how wellness programmes are built and measured.
Biological age testing is becoming the new metric. Guests don’t just want to feel better; they want to know they’re ageing slower.
The LMH view:
Consumers are now biologically literate. Brands need to meet them at that level.
Neuro-nutrition is finally getting the attention it deserves
The gut–brain axis dominated discussions, with nutrition reframed as a neurological intervention rather than a lifestyle preference. Fermented foods, polyphenols and “psychobiotics” are no longer niche — they’re becoming central to any credible longevity protocol.
The LMH view:
Menus need to reflect science, not trends. “Light and fresh” isn’t enough; consumers want function and clarity.
Longevi-Tech is advancing at a pace the industry is barely keeping up with
AI-driven drug discovery, patient-on-chip testing, and medical-grade wearables are accelerating far faster than regulation. Meanwhile, the “hardcare” movement — HBOT, peptides, cryo, NAD+ and beyond — continues to surge.
Yet, despite all the tech, the recurring message was simple: none of it compensates for chronic stress, poor sleep or a lack of social connection.
The LMH view:
Technology informs. Humanity transforms. The future is the blend.
Analog living is quietly becoming the new aspiration
Amid the excitement around tech, a counter-movement is building momentum. JOLO — the joy of logging off — has become a lifestyle, not a weekend treat. People want more focus, fewer notifications. More presence, less noise.
Communal sauna, cold therapy and ritual-based practices are gaining traction because they deliver physiological benefits and something arguably rarer: belonging.
The LMH view:
Human connection is now a wellness tool. Brands ignoring this are missing the cultural moment.
Planetary longevity is no longer a side conversation
Environmental health has finally taken a central seat at the table. The message was clear: you cannot have human longevity without ecological longevity. Regenerative development, like the Dhun project, showed what the future of wellness real estate will look like — environments designed to restore both people and place.
The LMH view:
Sustainability is baseline. Regeneration is the next frontier.
MENA is becoming the world’s most ambitious wellness laboratory
The region’s trajectory is undeniable. Government vision, investment and the freedom to build new cities from scratch mean wellness is being embedded into infrastructure, not added to it.
The LMH view:
This is the geography to watch. Innovation there isn’t incremental — it’s structural.
Wellness is maturing into societal infrastructure
Beyond the headline science, the Summit leaned into issues that will define the next decade: addiction, digital overstimulation, multi-generational health, and a workforce that won’t “retire” in the traditional sense.
The LMH view:
The next wave of innovation sits at the intersection of science, psychology and culture.
The LMH Takeaway
Being in Dubai for GWS made the direction of travel unmistakable. The future of wellness isn’t binary. It’s not science or spirituality, tech or analog, longevity or lifestyle. It’s the intelligent integration of all of it.
As we move into 2026, consumers expect evidence, elegance and empathy – solutions grounded in science and delivered with humanity. For brands willing to operate at that level, the opportunity is enormous.