Global Wellness Institute

10/14/2025

🧠💤 Poor sleep doesn’t just make you tired—it changes your brain.
A large, long-term study from the Mayo Clinic tracking 2,750 adults (aged 50+) over five and a half years found that chronic insomnia can accelerate memory and thinking decline.

Those with ongoing insomnia were 40% more likely to develop cognitive impairment or dementia than people who slept well. Brain scans revealed more amyloid plaque buildup and white matter damage—key markers linked to Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Getting quality sleep isn’t just rest—it’s brain protection.
Read more 👉 https://hubs.li/Q03NvZ_Z0

A large, long-term study from the Mayo Clinic, tracking 2,750 adults (aged 50 and over) for an average of five and a half years, found that chronic insomnia leads to changes in the brain that result in a much faster decline in memory and thinking. Chronic insomniacs were 40% more likely to develop c...

10/10/2025

Is infrared the future—or a fad? 🔥
As infrared cabins gain traction, sauna purists say they can’t compare to the centuries-old traditions of Finnish sauna and hydrothermal bathing. So what’s the truth?

Join the Hydrothermal Initiative’s live webinar on October 22 (11 AM–12 PM ET) as experts from both sides go head-to-head to compare the science, benefits, and wellness experience of infrared vs. traditional sauna.

Whether you’re a spa operator, wellness professional, or simply a sauna lover, get clear insights into what makes each unique—and why traditional sauna remains the gold standard worldwide.

👉 Register now:
https://hubs.li/Q03N8fFb0

10/10/2025

Inclusive Wellness Initiative led by Chair Jackie Roby was featured in GoWell Mag's anniversary edition "Wellness For All: The Power of Inclusivity". The article, "The Wellness We All Deserve," explores the transformative vision of wellness spaces where everyone belongs. The piece highlights how we're redefining wellness towards inclusion, honoring ancient wisdom, and breaking down systemic barriers to make healing accessible to all.

Read more:

¡Bienvenidos a la edición aniversario de GoWellMag! Celebramos un año de historias que transforman, voces que inspiran y una comunidad que sigue creciendo. En esta edición, “Bienestar para Todos: El P

10/09/2025

📢New GWI Report: UAE Wellness Economy Surges to $34.1 Billion

The Global Wellness Institute has released its first-ever report on the wellness economy of the United Arab Emirates—and the numbers are remarkable.

- $34.1B wellness economy in 2023

- 58% growth since 2019

- Largest wellness market in the Middle East

- Leading the region in tourism, real estate, spas, and beauty

The UAE now ranks among the fastest-growing wellness economies globally.

📥 Download the full report via GWI’s Geography of Wellness platform:
https://hubs.li/Q03MYY8W0

This data is a preview of what’s to come at the 2025 Global Wellness Summit in Dubai, where updated figures for the UAE, the Middle East, and the world will be unveiled live.

10/08/2025

The recent UN Plastic Treaty talks in Geneva ended in failure. Petrostates—including the U.S.—and petrochemical lobbyists blocked progress on addressing the escalating plastics crisis.

This comes as science continues to warn us about the exposome—the totality of environmental exposures impacting our health. From microplastics (found everywhere, even in our brains and breast milk) to PFAS “forever chemicals,” air pollution, and ultra-processed foods, invisible pollution is everywhere—and it’s affecting human health on a global scale.

🔗 Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q03MKQQw0

10/02/2025

🎶💪 From seniors dancing in Belgium and Korea, to outdoor fitness groups in China and Uganda, to gym programs in North America—older adults everywhere are proving that movement is ageless.

But access isn’t equal. Too many still face barriers to exercise. What policies can help more seniors stay active, healthy, and connected?

👉 Explore GWI’s latest research on programs that break down the barriers to senior fitness: https://hubs.li/Q03LYb_40

10/01/2025

🌟 What if midlife wasn’t the beginning of decline—but the start of something extraordinary?

In this episode of The Wellness Roundtable, Chip Conley (NYT bestselling author + founder of the Modern Elder Academy) shares why aging can be the ultimate stage of reinvention. From his journey at Airbnb to building MEA, Chip reveals how emotional fitness, community, and “life literacy” are the real markers of a long, purposeful life.

📈 Beth McGroarty of the Global Wellness Institute adds the bigger picture: boomers rejecting traditional retirement, longevity reshaping work, and why we need bold new models of connection, housing, and meaning in later life.

✨ Key ideas you’ll hear:
• Wisdom as the undervalued asset of longevity
• Midlife rites of passage & why we need a new “curriculum”
• Multi-generational living as the future
• The rise of “Don’t-Call-It-Senior-Living” communities
• Why healthspan is about so much more than biology

🎧 Tune in and reimagine what your next chapter could look like.
https://hubs.li/Q03LKW7H0

10/01/2025

Great article from Melissa Woodley covering new data on the booming wellness economy in Australia, citing data from the Global Wellness Institute’s Geography of Wellness country report now available thanks to a partnership with Anytime Fitness. The article is packed with data, including this insight:

“According to the report, Australia invests the most in ‘wellness real estate’ – spending on properties designed with wellness-focused features or services – accounting for 20 per cent of the total, which is more than double the global average. Physical activity is our next strongest sector at 19 per cent, sitting just above the worldwide average.”

Read full article here:

Our wellness economy is the world’s tenth largest, valued at more than $193 billion

09/29/2025

Our most recent Initiative, Microplastics Watch Initiative, is led by Co-Chair Professor Gerry Bodeker and Trent Munday. Microplastics are found in air, water, food—and even the human body. Research links them to inflammation, oxidative stress, and possible endocrine disruption. Their new white paper Understanding the Microplastics Crisis: Framing a Wellness Response explores the science and shows why wellness and beauty brands must act now to protect both health and the planet.

Explore the Initiative and download the white paper:
https://hubs.li/Q03Lpbqk0

09/25/2025

Today at the Women in Residential Construction Conference in Austin, the Global Wellness Institute Research Fellows Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston unveiled Build Well to Live Well: Case Studies Volume 1.
This 18-month research project highlights 13 diverse wellness real estate developments across the US and UK—showcasing that wellness can be integrated into projects of any size, at any price point, for any community.

The report identifies big shifts in the $548B wellness real estate sector:
✅ Mental wellness moving beyond meditation spaces
✅ Social connection designed into the built environment
✅ Financial wellness as a new priority

This new report builds on GWI’s landmark Build Well to Live Well: The Future (released in June), adding real-world examples of how wellness real estate is evolving.

Access the report: https://hubs.li/Q03L4GSg0

09/25/2025

🚨 New from the Global Wellness Institute: Build Well to Live Well – Case Studies, Volume 1

This report spotlights 13 pioneering projects across the US & UK that prove wellness real estate isn’t just for luxury developments—it’s reshaping how we design homes, workplaces, schools, senior living & beyond.

🌍 Highlights:
• Wellness real estate is expanding into every sector—from affordable housing to corporate campuses.
• Projects now weave in mental, social, environmental & financial wellbeing.
• The most successful designs are intentional, people-centered & future-ready.
• Wellness isn’t just about buildings—it’s about creating connected, thriving communities.

📈 With the $548B wellness real estate sector as the fastest-growing market in wellness, these case studies show what’s possible when health & design come together.

🔗https://hubs.li/Q03L26kk0

09/25/2025

The Wellness for Cancer Initiative led by Chair Julie Bach offers another impactful webinar on the link between exercise and cancer. Research reveals exercise cuts cancer recurrence by 28% and boosts treatment response by 18%. Join renowned breast surgeon Jay Harness, MD, fitness expert & survivor Tracey Downing, and outdoor experience specialist Petra Thaller as they share science-backed strategies that transform cancer care. Learn practical ways to integrate this powerful prescription into daily life—for patients and providers alike.

https://hubs.li/Q03K_v0w0