Every year brings a new wave of wellness trends, and 2025 is no exception. From supplements going mainstream to ancient practices getting a modern makeover, the health and wellness landscape keeps evolving. But with so much noise on social media, how do you know what's actually worth trying?
This summer, we posted about how to decipher what trends are worth it and which ones are not. Now, we've done the research to bring you an honest review of this year's biggest holistic health trends. Here's what's worth adding to your routine and what might just be hype.
Creatine: Not Just for Bodybuilders Anymore
Once reserved for serious athletes and gym bros, creatine is having a major mainstream moment. This naturally occurring compound helps power short bursts of high-impact activities like sprints or heavy lifts, and it's now showing up in gummies, flavored powders, and even honey sticks.
Creatine is considered safe for most healthy adults, and while social media claims about muscle-building aren't fully supported by research, it might help indirectly by giving you more energy during intense workouts.
Our take: If you're doing regular strength training or high-intensity workouts, creatine could be a helpful addition. Just stick to the powdered form mixed with water or juice—taking it dry (yes, people do this) is a choking hazard and offers no benefits.
The "Dopamine Menu": Mood Boosting Gets Creative
Feeling down? Create a "dopamine menu"—a personalized list of activities designed to boost your mood. The concept treats happiness like ordering from a restaurant, with "starters" that take little time and effort, more substantial "mains," and "sides" that add zest to your day.
Ideas from happiness experts include giving people compliments, sitting in your favorite green space, cuddling with a loved one, or even smashing objects in a rage room (no judgment here).
Our take: This trend is genuinely helpful. It's basically a mood toolkit that encourages you to have go-to strategies ready before you need them. The key is making your menu personal and actually using it when you're struggling.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Hacking Your Stress Response
The vagus nerve runs from your brain to your large intestine, acting as an information highway for your body. Stimulating it through specific techniques can help ease stress and promote relaxation.
Methods include deep breathing exercises, cold water exposure on the face, humming or singing, and gentle massage of certain pressure points.
Our take: The science behind vagal tone and stress management is solid. These techniques are free, accessible, and backed by research. Worth trying, especially if you struggle with anxiety or stress management.
Cold Plunging: The Chill That Keeps Growing
Cold water immersion therapy has moved from elite athlete recovery tool to mainstream wellness practice. Proponents claim it boosts mood, eases pain, reduces inflammation, and improves mental resilience.
The science shows promise for stress management and wellbeing support, though researchers want to see more rigorous long-term studies. The key is consistency—even 30 seconds at 50-59°F can provide benefits for beginners.
Our take: If you don't have high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes (check with your doctor first if you do), cold plunging or cold showers could be worth exploring. Start slow and don't feel pressured to do ice baths right away.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: High-Tech Healing
Step into a pressurized chamber and breathe pure oxygen. Celebrities like Justin Bieber reportedly have chambers in their homes, and athletes praise the practice for decreasing inflammation and fostering improved wellbeing.
The high pressure drives oxygen into the bloodstream, and some studies suggest it may improve brain function and reduce inflammation. However, it requires specialized equipment and professional supervision.
Our take: This one's intriguing but expensive and less accessible than other trends. If you have specific health concerns that might benefit from HBOT, talk to your healthcare provider. Otherwise, there are more cost-effective ways to support your wellness.
Human Design: Self-Help Meets Ancient Wisdom
This spiritual technique combines astrology, kabbalah, Myers-Briggs, I Ching, and quantum physics to help people figure out their "true purpose" in life. Created in the '80s, it's recently gained momentum on LinkedIn as a workplace tool for understanding employees' strengths and weaknesses.
Our take: If it resonates with you and helps you understand yourself better, go for it. Just remember that these systems shouldn't replace professional guidance when you need it, and be cautious about making major life decisions based solely on any personality system.
Colostrum: Liquid Gold Gets a Second Look
Colostrum, the first milk produced after giving birth, is packed with antibodies and nutrients. While it's been used in traditional medicine for centuries, modern supplements are now being marketed for gut health, immunity, and even skin benefits.
Our take: The research on colostrum supplementation for adults is still emerging. While it shows promise for gut health and immunity, we'd love to see more robust studies before fully endorsing this trend.
The Bottom Line
Not all wellness trends are created equal. Some, like increasing fiber intake and practicing vagus nerve stimulation, are backed by solid research and cost little to nothing. Others require expensive equipment or have limited scientific support.
The best approach? Start with evidence-based, accessible practices that align with your lifestyle and health goals. Don't feel pressured to try everything you see on social media. Listen to your body, consult with healthcare providers when appropriate, and remember that wellness is personal—what works for someone else might not work for you.
What wellness trends are you curious about? Have you tried any of these? We'd love to hear your experiences in the comments below.