Hi friends,

Some weeks, a theme just keeps popping up - in conversations, headlines, the insta scroll. This week? It’s all about AI… again.

Earlier this week, I came across an article we’ve touched on before in The Wellness Wire: the rise of AI therapists and “chatbot friends.” (See that edition here)

On the surface, it sounds harmless (even helpful) - instant validation, someone “listening” 24/7, zero judgement. In the middle of a meltdown, that’s basically the dream, right? But here’s the catch: if growth comes from being gently challenged - not just endlssly cheered on like you’ve just made Bake Off finals - what happens when your go to confidant is literally programmed to agree with you?

Without the friend who lovingly calls you out, the coach who makes you squirm (in the best way), or the therapist who raises an eyebrow and says “let’s unpack that,” we risk marinating in our own stories. Sure, it’s comforting… until you realise you’ve spent six months trauma dumping to a glorified echo chamber.

(Side note: lawmakers are noticing — Illinois just passed a law banning AI from making therapy decisions, to protect patients, especially kids, from unqualified “yes-bot” advice dressed up as care.)

So let’s remind ourselves - AI is great for a quick pep talk, but it can’t give you the deliciously awkward, perspective shifting conversations that actually help you grow.

So, here’s your challenge this week: if you’re here in the desert, check out one of these amazing wellness events in our Local Lowdown and go make a friend. Not in the desert? Same brief - say yes to a yoga class, a book club, a workshop, or even just chatting to the person next to you at your local coffee spot. As a side we’ve also been eyeing up Let’s Gym — an app that pairs you with a workout buddy (because nothing bonds you faster than mutual post leg day pain) Brilliant, right?!

Now, let’s get into this week’s drop - the UK is getting some well-deserved love in this edition, and we’re here for it.

With love (the kind that AI can’t fake),

Harriet and Katie

XOXO

📍 Brrn Barre, Goshi Warehouse City, Al Quoz

Is this the hottest workout in Dubai? Quite literally… yes 🔥

We finally made it to Brrn Barre - and trust us, this one delivers. A new addition to Goshi Warehouses, it’s a ladies-only hot barre studio blending barre, functional training, and core Pilates, all set to the beat in an infrared-heated room.

It’s the kind of class that lights up every muscle, gets your heart pumping, and somehow leaves you feeling stronger and more grounded.

Founded by a mum and her daughters (we love a family affair), Brrn Barre has that welcoming, real-girl energy we’ve been looking for. No egos. Just really good workouts and a feel good atmosphere that makes it easy to show up - and even easier to come back.

The studio itself is gorgeous (think Pinterest board meets polished industrial vibes) and the line-up of classes? Fire. From Booty BRRN to Cardio Barre and Sculpt + Tone, every class is high energy, sweat fuelled, and designed to sculpt in all the right places.

Katie’s verdict? As an instructor, she’s genuinely impressed. Every move is intentional. The programming is smart. And the burn is real.

Whether you're in your barre girl era or just looking to move and feel good - this one’s a must try.

Loving Reminder 💖
With schools starting again next week, families returning, and the familiar rhythm of traffic filling the streets - this week feels like a rare pause. And with so much happening this Sunday, it’s the perfect moment to slow down, turn inward, and give yourself the reset your soul’s been asking for.

💪 Reformer Pilates with Sunday Riley
Sunday 17th August | 3–4 PM
📍 Delano Hotel, Bluewaters Island
A gorgeous reformer session hosted by HWH Studio, complete with complimentary travel-size skincare from Sunday Riley.
🎟️ Book here

💖 The Power of Self-Love Workshop
Sunday 17th August | 3–6 PM
📍 Keyani Wellness
A 3-hour interactive workshop with healer and homeopath Prathna Shah, exploring the transformative power of self love. Expect evidence-based techniques to elevate wellbeing, deepen relationships, boost resilience, and reconnect with purpose.
📞 Call 058 5870799 to book.

🌬️ IMD Breathwork
Sunday 17th August | 4–6 PM
📍 Keyani Wellness
A powerful breathwork journey blending ancient breathing techniques with immersive digital sound healing. Release stress, clear emotional blocks, and regulate your nervous system in this deeply cathartic experience. Running every Sunday across August.
📞 Call 058 5870799 to book.

🌸 Wellness Sunday at the Villa (Ladies Only)
Sunday 17th August | 4–9:30 PM
📍 Private Villa in Dubai (location shared upon RSVP)
Reconnect with your inner peace and feminine energy in a stunning setting surrounded by nature and soulful women. Expect ceremonial cacao, breathwork, sound healing, sunset rituals, biohacking, a floral dress shoot, dinner, and poolside dancing.
🎟️ Book here

🌊 Floating Sound Sessions
Wednesday 20th August | 7:30–8:30 PM
📍 One&Only Royal Mirage
Blissful water sound healing hosted by Beyond Wellness. Float into calm as the healing frequencies of Tibetan bowls and gongs ripple through the pool.
🎟️ Book here

Your weekly whip-smart scroll through what’s hot (and not) in the world of wellness.

🏛️ INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS

🎧 Gen Z’s Going All In on Soft Clubbing
Sauna raves. Cold plunge parties. Breathwork that turns into a dance floor. Eventbrite says thermal gathering attendance is up 1,105%… proof that soft clubbing (aka healthy hedonism) is still having its moment. These aren’t your sticky floor, 3am taxi kind of nights. They’re multisensory, movement-fuelled, social experiences — part regulation, part release. Think Daybreaker’s sober dance parties reborn as sauna raves with Othership, Diplo’s Run Club merging endurance with festival vibes, and Sanctum’s music-driven movement classes hitting that mind-body-social sweet spot. But here’s the twist: according to IWSR, 70% of US Gen Z adults drank alcohol in the past six months, up from 46% in 2023, with similar upticks in the UK, Australia, and India.
Wellness Bestie Take: Less about abstinence and more about balance, drinking is finding its place in Gen Z’s wellness lifestyle.
📖 Read More

🏛️ The UK’s First Sober Social Wellness Club?
If Gen Z is clubbing in the sauna, millennials might be doing it at Long Lane - a brand new alcohol free wellness hotel and members club opening in 2026. Founded by friends Harrison and Loui after one too many late nights out in New York, the pair realised that every social scene seemed to orbit around alcohol. Harrison, then on Wall Street, loved the buzz of being out but wanted to prioritise his health. The solution? Create a space where the social high comes from connection, community, and cold plunges - not cocktails. Set in West Sussex, Long Lane will be an all-day wellness hangout and hotel: think plunge pools, hot and cold therapy suites, movement spaces, co-working areas, and a farm-to-fork restaurant. They hit their £400,000 crowdfunding goal earlier this year — and they’re betting that in a world where, according to IWSR, 70% of US Gen Z adults are drinking again, a sober space might just be the boldest move of all.
Wellness Bestie Take: Even though we do love a glass of wine, we’re all for the alcohol free vibes - especially if we’re waking up in a biohacked bedroom. Eyeing up a visit as soon as it opens.
📖 Read More

🇬🇧 Healf’s Throwing the UK’s Biggest Wellness Party
London, mark your calendars: from October 3-5, 2025, Healf - the UK’s fastest-rising health-tech darling - is bringing its cult wellness curation off the screen and into 180 Studios for its first-ever Healf Experience (HX25). Billed as Europe’s first immersive wellbeing event, HX25 will gather over 5,000 people for three days of panels, workshops, live podcast recordings, and brand activations built around Healf’s Four Pillars™: EAT, MOVE, MIND, SLEEP. The lineup? Basically a wellness Avengers assemble - Gary Brecka, Bryony Deery, Dr. Tara Swart, Kayla Barnes-Lentz, Jenna Zoe, Jonny Wilkinson, Rose Ferguson, and Roxie Nafousi. Expect longevity talks, neuroscience deep dives, sensory tech demos, bio-individuality insights, and a heavy dose of purpose-driven inspiration.
Wellness Bestie Take: This is like Glastonbury for people who own too many supplements 🙋. We’re already eyeing our plane tickets.
📖 Read More

👥 WeightWatchers’ New Era: From Points to People
Fresh out of bankruptcy and mid-rebrand, WeightWatchers is clearly playing its cards right - appointing SoulCycle co-founder Julie Rice as chief experience officer and acquiring her boutique support group concept, Peoplehood. Peoplehood, built on the idea of “relational fitness,” has been running coach led support groups in NYC covering everything from mindfulness to GLP1 side effects and menopause. Now, WW plans to fold its curriculum, tech, and tiny but mighty team into its own ecosystem launching new digital groups focused on education, accountability, and human connection. The move is rooted in data: WW workshop members lose twice as much weight as solo participants. And in a weight loss space increasingly dominated by miracle drugs and isolating apps, community could be WW’s killer feature.
Wellness Bestie Take: From spin classes to support circles, Julie Rice knows how to build belonging. This feels less like the shame based weigh-in days and more like a community-first approach - and it could be a great move for them.
📖 Read More

🏢 UK Gyms Are Getting a Corporate Glow-Up
UK based The Gym Group is making a play for your office perks. In a new pilot with Wellhub (formerly Gympass), 190 of its gyms will now be accessible through workplace benefit packages - opening the doors to a potential 26,000 employers. Why it matters: 65% of Wellhub users have never had a gym membership before, making this a win for both UK companies and The Gym Group’s member base.. And with boutique studio attendance dipping, this corporate channel could be a smart way to bring in new members and keep the floor busy.
Wellness Bestie Take: If your “wellness benefit” is still free tea bags in the kitchen, this could be your ticket to a lunchtime lift session. HR, take note.
📖 Read More

🏃‍♀️ Too Hot to Run? Dubai Says: Try the Mall
Dubai’s new Mallathon has turned nine of the city’s biggest malls - including the Dubai Mall - into indoor running tracks for the month of August. Doors open at 7am daily so walkers and runners can log miles without melting in the 40°C+ heat.
Weekdays are a go-at-your-own-pace stroll or jog, but weekends turn competitive with 2.5km, 5km, and 10km races, medals, and prizes. The Dubai Sports Council says the response has been “overwhelming” as residents swap treadmills for air conditioned laps past shop windows.
Wellness Bestie Take: We love an initiative that makes movement more accessible - and if the finish line is just past a post run iced matcha, even better.
📖 Read More

🧪 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

🛁 No Sauna? No Problem
No access to a sauna? A hot bath might just be your undercover wellness MVP.
A recent study found that a 45-minute soak at 40.5°C can drop blood pressure by up to 14 mmHg, boost cardiac output, and get your heart rate up - basically mimicking a low- to moderate-intensity workout. Even better? It outperformed three 10-minute blasts in a 80°C sauna and a 45-minute far-infrared session.Yes, sauna still reigns supreme for lowering dementia, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality risk. But hot baths are a worthy sidekick — as long as you’re actually raising your core body temperature for 30–45 minutes.
Wellness Bestie Take: This is such an underrated hack. Let’s not forget - heat exposure is about physiology at the end of the day, and this research reinforces that a hot bath can light up the same cardiovascular, endothelial, and heat shock protein magic that makes sauna such a longevity star. Rubber duck optional.
📖 Read More

🔮 TREND TO WATCH

🧑‍🔬The Rise of the Science Influencer
Meet the new health archetype: Doctor × Founder × Content Creator. Think Mark Hyman launching lab startups, Peter Attia’s digital-first longevity clinic, and Bryan Johnson scaling Blueprint locations. These science-backed influencers are skipping affiliate deals and building companies - turning followers into patients and protocols into products. With nearly half of Gen Z now looking to social media for health guidance, it makes sense: credentials + relatability = trust. But the more we lean into personality driven wellness, the blurrier the line becomes between informed choice and influence as care.
Wellness Bestie Take: We tend to trust people more than institutions - but if personal influence starts outrunning solid evidence, the biggest promise of longevity could quickly turn into its biggest flaw. This trend makes sense, but treat every “doctor–founder–creator” claim as a hypothesis, not a prescription. Stay curious and critical.
📖 Read More

📩 SHARE IT, SAVE IT, SEND IT

💾 Save it — for when you need a reminder that connection beats algorithms.
📲 Share it — with the friend who’d happily swap small talk for a proper conversation.
📤 Send it — to someone who’d love a little UK wellness inspo in their week.