CEO burnout to drive six major wellness trends for 2025

Against a backdrop of burnout at the top level of business leadership, Livia Wang, founder of wellness brand incubator Wellness Adventures, discusses six major wellness trends set to shape 2025.

Ice baths, saunas and vitamins might be all the rage in 2024, but as we head into 2025, newer wellness trends are set to emerge. And according to Livia Wang, serial entrepreneur and founder of wellness incubators Access Corporate and Wellness Adventures, these trends are being set at the executive level. 

“CEOs are, on average, 50 to 55 years old, and after fighting so hard to be in this position, they begin to experience things like paranoia, anxiety, sleep problems, mental health problems – not to mention menopause, which women at that age face,” Wang says. 

Wang’s theory is backed by recent studies, which show that leadership burnout is a rising trend. 

For example, a 2021 Global Leadership Forecast found that 60% of leaders reported feeling “used up” at the end of the workday. In 2023, a record number of CEOs departed their roles, and a Deloitte study found that 75% of C-Suiters were seriously considering quitting their job for one that would better support their well-being.  

At least 19 CEOs died on the job that same year. 

“It’s that struggle of, I want my team to work harder, therefore I have to work harder,” Wang says. 

“To stop themselves from falling prey to this struggle, executives will begin to seek health and wellness solutions.”  

And six major trends emerge as a result. 

1. Longevity 

The leading trend in 2025 is set to be longevity, Wang says. While executives seeking quality of life in their later years is a big driver behind this trend, it’s also a natural by-product of ageing populations. By 2050, it’s estimated that one in six people globally will be over 65, up from one in 11 in 2019. 

This ‘silver tide’, as it’s known, brings greater cost to governments, so companies focused on longevity are receiving significant investment. In 2022 alone, nearly US$5.2 billion was invested in companies focused on longevity, according to J.P. Morgan Private Bank – and the total global longevity market is projected to reach US$600 billion by 2025, Milken Institute says. 

“People are scared of dying,” Wang says. “They want to live longer, so they’ll wear devices that monitor their sleep data or ingest supplements to improve their cell age.” 

DNA testing, which Wang says can help provide a comprehensive assessment of your aging process and help identify areas for targeted intervention, also falls under this umbrella. 

As biohacking for longevity goes mainstream, we can expect to see a surge of interest in products and services that promise to help people live longer and healthier lives. 

2. Happiness 

While living longer might be on the agenda, that doesn’t necessarily equate to living happily, Wang notes. And so, seeking happiness – without turning to short-term solutions like drugs and alcohol – will become a key focus for executives and beyond. To do that, people will look to revolutionise the four ‘sets’: health-set, heart-set, mind-set and soul-set. 

“Only when these four ‘sets’ work well and work well together can people truly enjoy sustainable happiness,” Wang says. 

In practice, that looks like relaxation, meditation and yoga businesses or wellness retreats, Wang says. That’s also backed up by data: The Global Wellness Institute predicts wellness tourism is now worth about US$651 billion annually and has a forecasted average annual expenditure growth of 16.6% through to 2027. 

3. Menopause 

No longer will women in leadership positions stay silent on the effects of menopause or be driven to early retirement. Wang says conversations around menopause will begin to take centre stage in workplaces and beyond – and as a result, drive solutions for women. 

And the trend is already burgeoning: menopause care received US$230 million in equity funding in 2023, up 22% from 2022, according to CBI Insights. 

That figure has already increased in 2024 with Midi Health, a company focused on mid-life health for women, banking US$103 million in funding from the likes of comedian Amy Schumer and execs from OpenAI and Meta. The overall menopause market is expected to top US$25 billion in 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.37%. 

“Currently, there is no support and very little research,” Wang says. “It’s like sex education in the old days; people were so scared to talk about it – it was taboo. But it’s not anymore – and when women leaders take the stage, they’ll drive change.” 

Wang’s already at the forefront of the women’s health wave with the Simple Complex Daily Advanced Female Nutrition Powder, which encompasses a variety of colourful ingredients rich in polyphenols designed to nurture women’s health comprehensively. 

4. Re-globalisation 

The pandemic may have led to a slowdown in international trade and a retreat from global co-operation, while the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Palestine-Lebanon wars have disrupted supply chains. However, Wang says greater economic integration and a path back to globalisation is on the horizon. 

What’s that got to do with health, exactly? Well, Wang says re-globalisation will lead to better wellness solutions for customers, as businesses that create wellness solutions can access a broader set of manufacturing resources, employees, and technology. 

“You can get better technology from X to sell to customers in Y,” she says. 

5. Personalisation

One-size-fits-all does not apply to wellness – and certainly won’t cut it in 2025. 

“I expect individuals to have their very own tailored supplements in 2025, at a cost-effective, subscription-type model,” Wang says. 

Personalised nutrition is one aspect that Wang expects to be in full force by 2025 as customers increasingly seek out customised solutions to optimise their health. According to NX-Food, the personalised nutrition industry topped US$8.1 billion in 2020 and is expected to more than double to US$19.7 billion by 2027. Looking even further ahead, the market is projected to reach $64 billion by 2040. 

Key current players include Zoe, which uses machine learning to analyse gut and blood data to provide personalised food recommendations, Gray Brecka’s 10X Health Systems and Vitl, which offers DNA-based insights on diet, exercise, and supplement needs. 

But this trend also encompasses wearable devices, like smart watches and fitness trackers, that provide real-time, personalised tips and information tailored to users. 

“By understanding an individual’s unique genetic blueprint, healthcare providers and nutrition brands can develop targeted recommendations to help prevent chronic diseases, promote healthy aging, and enhance overall vitality,” Wang says. 

6. Plant-based solutions

Something Wang is personally passionate about as a plant-based-diet-follower herself is the advent of plant-based solutions. 

“Plant-based products don’t only protect animals, but they also protect our bodies, minds and emotions. And I’m not talking about switching to overly-processed vegan foods; I’m talking about a clean approach to food with plant-based ingredients.” 

A year ago, Wang transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle, removing animal products and alcohol from her diet, a change she says profoundly impacted her body and mind with results like increased energy levels, improved mental clarity, and overall enhanced well-being.  

It prompted her to steer her brands into plant-based territory. 

Wellness Adventures’ newest brand, GODT (launching in early 2025), is focused on redefining major supplement categories through the power of plants. By harnessing the best that nature has to offer and combining it with cutting-edge science, GODT delivers high-performance, plant-based products that challenge and surpass the effectiveness of traditional animal-based supplements. 

But it’s backed by science, too: according to Science Direct, there is strong evidence to support the role of plant-based foods in preventing cardiometabolic diseases and premature mortality. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of fibre, antioxidants, and various nutrients and have been inversely associated with the risk of chronic diseases and mortality. 

All in all, 2025 is set to see the focus shift back to inner health. 

“Leaders need to look after their health and devote more energy into themselves to change the narrative,” Wang says. 

“It doesn’t matter what the economic backdrop is – people are beginning to realise they’re humans, not machines, and will start to focus on these trends to lead healthier lifestyles.” 

More information: www.accesscorporate.com/