Hi lovely,

We talk a lot about what it means to feel good — rested, nourished, supported. But underneath all of it, there’s something even more essential to our well-being: feeling connected. To ourselves. To each other. To something beyond the scroll and the to-do list.

Last week marked Loneliness Awareness Week, hosted by The Marmalade Trust — a soft but powerful reminder that loneliness isn’t something to hide. It’s human. Like all emotions, it’s there to tell us something important: you’re craving connection.

And right now? That’s true for a lot of us.
All around the world, more people are feeling a quieter kind of loneliness — not just “I wish I had more friends” lonely, but a deeper sense of disconnection. Many point to tech overwhelm, burnout, and a culture that glamorises self sufficiency while quietly draining our social batteries. No wonder community has become 2025’s most sought-after wellness tool.

But like anything in wellness (and in life!) — it’s rarely black and white. While we’ve had a laugh here about the rise of AI in self-care (hola, AI Deepak), it’s worth remembering: tech isn’t the villain. It’s how we use it.
Take Meela, an AI companion trialled in a senior living community in New York. It helped reduce loneliness, lift moods, and offer moments of unexpected connection. A little proof that sometimes, even a virtual voice can be the start of something real.

That said, digital distraction is no joke. Most of us check our phones 144 times a day — searching for connection, and often landing in a scroll spiral that leaves us feeling more distant than before.

It’s a tension we’re all navigating: the ease of digital life vs. the depth of in-person presence. And like most things, life happens in the messy middle. There’s light and shadow in both. The magic lives in holding that nuance — and staying open to all the quiet, surprising ways connection can show up.

So if you’re looking for a little nudge this week — to reconnect, reset, or just feel more you — this edition of The Wellness Drop is full of soft landings and bright spots.
From cacao under the stars to poolside Pilates, padel-fuelled parties to feel-good science, here’s what’s happening in wellness — and where you just might find your people.

With love (and a gentle reminder to look up, say yes, and let yourself be seen),
Harriet & Katie
xoxo

📍 Cloud Mats - Heveya x TODA - Madinat Jumeirah

We rounded off our week this week by floating into one of the most restorative wellness experiences Dubai has to offer — a Yoga Nidra and sound healing session at TODA in collaboration with Heveya and guided by the brilliant Alexandra Venison.

Set against the immersive, sensory backdrop of TODA — think forest scents, ambient visuals, and a feeling that you’ve left the city far behind — the magic unfolded slowly. The Heveya Cloud Mats lived up to their name, offering a cocoon like comfort that quite literally made it feel like you were truly lying on a cloud. Alexandra’s grounding voice and the gentle resonance of crystal bowls carried us into a deep state of calm. It was stillness in its purest form.

Yoga Nidra is often described as yogic sleep, but this was something else entirely. A nervous system reset, a sensory retreat, and forty-five minutes of peace that felt both rare and deeply necessary.

Sessions run monthly (excluding July). Keep an eye on TODA’s schedule — and if you can, go. This is rest that lingers long after you step off the mat.

From new moon intentions to poolside Pilates - here’s where to reset, recharge, and reconnect this week (June 25–29) 🌿💫

🌑 New Moon Cacao Ceremony & Sound Bath
Wednesday 25th June, 7.00pm
Villa Sage, Jumeirah
A dreamy evening of intention setting, healing sound, and heart-opening cacao with Estefa. Align with the energy of the new moon and plant soulful seeds for what’s to come.
🎟 Book here

🧘‍♂️ Qigong & Sound Bath
Friday 27th June, 5.00pm – 7.00pm
Keyani Wellness
Learn the fundamentals of Qigong with Shaolin master, Master Can, followed by a soothing sound bath led by hypnotherapist and healer, Letizia. A grounding, deeply restorative session ending with tea and connection.
📞 Call 058 587 0799 to book

🔥 Red Light Sculpt with Alo
Friday 27th June, 7.30pm
Peaq Wellness, Al Quoz
Red light. Slow burn. Core on fire. Join Alo and Peaq for a sculpting session that’ll light you up from the inside out. Only 12 spots, so book quick!
📩 DM @peaqwellness to book

🌅 Sky High Reset at Aura with Liv Prescott
Saturday 28th June, 7.45am
Aura Sky Pool, Palm Jumeirah
Rise, breathe, plunge, repeat. Join Liv Prescott for an energising morning of yoga, breathwork, and an invigorating ice bath — all set against the skyline views at Aura. Wrap it up with a nourishing breakfast and leave feeling sky-high (in the wellness way).
💸 475 AED
🎟 Book Here

🌞 One Day Retreat: Gentle Reset
Sunday 29th June, 8.30am
Villa Sage, Jumeirah
A full-day retreat to rest your body, reset your mind, and reconnect with yourself — all without leaving the city. Includes movement, contrast therapy, sound healing, nourishing food, optional massage, and a tea ceremony to close.
🎟 Book here

🌴 Sunday Sanctuary
Sunday 29th June, 9.00am
Kaimana Beach, J1 Beach
Start your Sunday with poolside Pilates, soul-soothing sound healing, and a nourishing breakfast overlooking sunlit waters. The ultimate tropical calm.
🎟 Book here

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

🏛️ INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS

⚖️ When “Wellness” Goes Too Far: OneTaste Founders Convicted
This week, the founders of OneTaste — a sex-focused wellness company known for promoting “orgasmic meditation” — were convicted of federal forced labor charges. Behind their glossy branding and promises of empowerment was a deeply coercive system, where staff were pressured into unpaid, traumatic acts under the guise of healing. It’s confronting — but sadly, not new. The wellness world isn’t immune to manipulation, especially when language like “transformation” and “surrender” gets twisted into control.
Bottom Line: As the industry continues to grow, so must our discernment. Healing spaces should honour your autonomy - not hijack it.
📖 Read More

🧪 Hormone Checks, Minus the Hassle
Remember ELI Health from our very first Wellness Wire? They just raised a cool $12M to bring instant, saliva-based hormone tracking to the mainstream — meaning no blood tests, no mystery symptoms, just real-time intel on what’s happening inside your body.
Big picture energy: From fertility to fatigue, this is the future of cycle-savvy self-care. Big yes to wellness that meets us where we are — messy hormones and all.
📖 Read more

😴 This Headband Wants to Hack Your Sleep (Gently)
Somnee just raised $10M for its chic little sleep device — a headband that uses neurostimulation (aka gentle brain zaps) to help you drift off faster and hit deeper sleep stages. Designed by neuroscientists and tested by the military, it adjusts in real time to work with your brain, not against it.
What we’re thinking: No weird dreams, no big tablets to swallow before bed— just smarter, science-y sleep support. Sweet dreams incoming.
📖 Read more

🏃 Peloton Is Starting a Run Club — Can It Keep Up?
Peloton just laced up for a comeback — launching Peloton Run Club to get members out of their living rooms and back on the pavement. It’s free, IRL, and clearly hoping to ride the wave of social run culture (yes, we see you, Strava girlies).
Our take: Will it save the brand? TBD. But group runs, cute fits, and post-sweat endorphins? We’re not mad about it.
📖 Read more

🎨 GPS Giggles: The Strava Artists Turning Runs into Giant Penises, Pop Stars & Pure Joy
And because the world feels a little heavy right now… here’s something delightfully unnecessary: Strava athletes are turning their runs, rides, and skates into actual art — mapping everything from dinosaurs to Taylor Swift to, yes… a giant penis across the Welsh countryside (thanking you, Three Cocks village). It's funny, creative, and wildly unserious — which, honestly, feels like exactly the kind of movement medicine we need.
Zooming Out: Phallus art? Taylor-shaped loops? Peak cardio joy. 🏃‍♀️🖍️😂
📖 Read the full story

🧪 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

☕ Coffee: Your Morning Brew, Cellular Timekeeper
New research shows that regular coffee drinkers may be biologically younger than those who skip the cup - thanks to some epigenetic magic. A large-scale meta-analysis of nearly 16,000 participants found that coffee consumption was associated with changes in DNA methylation at 11 CpG sites tied to inflammation, metabolism, and age-related disease. These subtle tweaks in gene expression are linked to drinking 2–3 cups per day, corresponding to about a 0.12-year slowdown in biological aging per cup. The likely stars? Chlorogenic acids and other bioactive compounds that help regulate cellular machinery and may explain why coffee fans see lower rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia.
Our take: Not a fountain of youth, but pairing your latte with this research? Officially giving wellness and longevity girl energy 
📺 Watch More

🔮 TREND TO WATCH

​​🎾 Padel Parties & the Rise of Social Sweat
Move over solo workouts — the hottest fitness trend this summer comes with rackets, beats, and maybe even a mocktail bar. Padel is having a full-blown main character moment in the wellness world. But this time? It’s all about the vibe. Think DJ sets, rooftop courts, and branded pop-ups that feel more like a party than a training session. It’s less about shaving seconds off your serve, and more about movement, mingling, and community — aka everything wellness is craving right now.
Here’s the tea: Social fitness is on the rise, and padel’s playful energy makes it the perfect gateway. Come for the cardio, stay for the people.
📸 See it in action

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