From brainy sneakers to breathwork highs - your weekly wellness fix is here 💛

Hi friends,

The weather’s cooling (hello, Dubai winter — we’ve missed you 🩵) and Dubai Fitness Challenge month is in full swing. The city’s buzzing with free events to get you moving, connecting, and sweating - only if you fancy it, of course. And if you don’t? There’s still plenty to explore - our Local Lowdown is literally heaving with incredible wellness happenings for every mood, pace, and personality.

We’ve also spotted so many new faces around here lately, so it feels like the perfect moment for a quick re-introduction 👋. We are Harriet and Katie, the duo behind The Wellness Drop. We both work in the wellness world - but more than that, it’s truly our passion. And our aim…To redefine what wellness means in today’s world - moving away from pressure and performance, and back toward something that nourishes and genuinely adds to your life.

The Wellness Drop was born from a simple idea - to bring Dubai’s incredible wellness offerings together in one thoughtfully curated space. Instead of endless scrolling or getting lost in the noise, we wanted to make discovering wellness easy, inspiring, and accessible - while shining a light on the places, practitioners, and practices we genuinely love (and believe can help you live more well). Alongside Dubai’s ever growing scene, we also highlight global wellness trends that feel inclusive, digestible, and engaging (all served with our signature sassy spin, of course!)

Just a quick reminder - our Local Lowdown events aren’t run by us; we simply bring you the best of what’s on. You’ll find all the details and how to book below.

And keep an eye out later this week for our very special round-up of the must-attend wellness events of the month - including the best free finds across the city.

Once again, thank you for being here - we’re so glad you are. 💛

With love (and a whole lot of gratitude),

📍 Revive Pilates, Jumeirah Golf Estates

If we were allowed to have Pilates studio favourites, Revive would be ours. And yes, we’ll admit — the love story started with convenience (it’s practically on Harriet’s doorstep). But that’s only the entry point. The real magic begins once you’re inside.

It’s small in the best possible way. Just six reformers in the studio means you get actual attention, expert cueing, and instructors who notice how you’re moving rather than shouting into the void. The teachers are brilliant, the energy is calm, and the classes genuinely cater for all levels and all bodies. Men are welcome too, and their “Bumps & Babies” class — where you can bring your little one along — feels like a real breath of fresh air (Katie will be joining these soon!).

There are no mirrored ceilings, no neon lights, no performative wellness vibes — and that’s exactly why we love it. It’s about the point of it all. The Pilates bit. The moving-your-body-and-feeling-better bit.

They’ve also got another studio just up the road at The Clubhouse, which runs classes on the half hour instead of the hour — perfect for squeezing in a session between school runs, meetings, or coffee plans.

And if you’re around during the DP World Tour Golf at Jumeirah Golf Estates next week, they’re offering free mat Pilates sessions daily from 9:00–9:45am. A lovely little bonus if you fancy a stretch before the day begins

Browse Timetable & Book HERE

With Dubai Fitness Challenge in full swing, the city is buzzing with movement, energy, and connection - from free mat classes to transformative workshops and soulful ceremonies. ✨

We’ve rounded up the ones that really caught our eye this week - the unique, can’t-miss moments that go beyond just breaking a sweat.

☆TRE & Sound Healing
Sunday 9 November | 5:30–7 PM
Keyani
Release tension and stress through gentle shaking (TRE®) and sound healing with Candice McCone & Rita Baki. Expect calm, clarity, and deep release.
Call 058 5870799 to book.

🌵 Under The Stars | Soul Sessions x Immersiv
Monday 10 November | 6–10 PM
Terra Solis
A desert ceremony like no other — fire, breath, water, and dance come together under the stars for an unforgettable night of alignment and release.
Book here

🎨 Release & Recreate
Monday 10 November | 7:30–9 PM
Keyani Wellbeing
An immersive evening of breathwork, meditation, sound, and art therapy — designed to help you release what no longer serves you and reconnect with your intuition.
Call 058 5870799 to book.

🌅 Yoga & Breakfast on the Rooftop
Tuesday 11 November | 7:30–8:30 AM
Villa Sage
Start your morning above the city with an energising vinyasa flow, coffee in hand, and the skyline as your backdrop.
Book here

💫 Rewire to Rise with Marisa Peer
Tuesday 11 November | 5–8 PM
Sohum Wellness
A live transformational evening with world-renowned therapist Marisa Peer. Learn to reprogram limiting beliefs, calm your nervous system, and reconnect with your inner power.
Book here

🔮 11:11 Soul Ceremony
Tuesday 11 November | 8:28–11:11 PM
Keyani Wellbeing
A heart-opening cacao and shamanic ceremony led by Raghida Shaman — aligning divine feminine and masculine energies for an evening of love and ascension.
Call 058 5870799 to book.

🧘 Gut Health Workshop with Joy Somers
Wednesday 12 November | 9–11 AM
Organic Foods & Café, The Greens
Join gut health specialist Joy Somers for a morning of healing, hormone balance, and energy-boosting biohacks.
Comment “IN” on this post to sign up.

💬 Women’s Talk | Womanly x Joy Somers
Thursday 13 November | 10–11:30 AM
Womanly Wellness
A women-only round table on gut, hormones, and longevity — ending with a grounding nervous system reset.
Book here

💗 Revive: Free Mat Pilates Classes
Thursday 13 – Sunday 16 November | 9–9:45 AM
Jumeirah Golf Estates
Join Revive Pilates for free morning mat classes and post-class coffee at the DP World Tour. First come, first served.
DM @revive_reformer_pilates to book.

❄️ Pilates in the Snow
Saturday 15 November | 8–9 AM
Ski Dubai
Yes, really - Pilates in the snow! Flow in your winter gear (provided), then warm up after class with a hot matcha.
Book via @studio14.ae

🌊 Sunday Morning Reset
Sunday 16 November | 7:30 AM
Coast Bowls, Umm Suqeim Beach
A 40-minute beachside mat class with The Pilates Collective — followed by açai bowls, sunshine, and connection.
Book here

🕯 Candlelit Reformer
Every Sunday | 4:30 PM
The Lob
Slow burn meets strength. Reformer, candlelight, and meditative focus — the perfect Sunday ritual.
Call +971 52 936 5460 to book.

 INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS

🌬️ The UAE Is Holding Its Breath (On Purpose)
It may well be an understatement to say Breathwork is having a moment — and not just on your feed. From 9D experiences at TODA to floating sessions at sea, immersive breathwork is taking over the UAE wellness scene faster than you can say “deep inhale.” Searches for the practice are up 17% globally, with local coaches blending high-ventilation techniques, soundscapes, and somatic release to help you access altered states and emotional resets. You’ve probably also seen the breathwork events lighting up our Local Lowdown weekly — and this week’s no exception - scroll down for our top picks!
Outtake: Wherever you do it - on a fancy yacht, in a candle-lit studio, or just in the quiet of your own home — this is a powerful reminder that the best wellness tools don’t come with a price tag.
📖 Read More

💅 The Gift of Glow (and a Good Night’s Sleep)
Beauty sales are up 10% this year, but what’s really driving growth isn’t lipstick — it’s lifestyle. According to new NielsenIQ data, wellness-based products have expanded the beauty industry’s value opportunity by 64%, with more than half of consumers saying self-care is now non-negotiable. From sleep sprays and silk pillowcases to adaptogenic drinks and vitamin rituals, gifts this season are trading fizz for function — think fewer cocktails, more calm. Nearly half of shoppers say self-care items are on their gift lists, and 54% plan to treat themselves too (because who doesn’t love a little ‘from me, to me’ moment?).
Punchline: Stay tuned for our Little Black Book of Wellness — launching later this month with our tried-and-trusted picks for wellness inspired gifting.
📖 Read More

🥄 From Goodnight Moon to Good Morning Greens
Trading mush for matcha-hued mornings, AG1 is giving a childhood classic a wellness upgrade. Its new campaign, “Good Morning, People Everywhere,” reimagines Goodnight Moon as a poetic ode to early risers - the ones up before sunrise, shaker in hand. Narrated by legendary producer (and AG1 devotee) Rick Rubin, the cinematic short swaps mittens and kittens for waves, mountains, and morning rituals — starring the likes of Sloane Stephens, Mick Fanning, and Hari Budha Magar. The brand’s message? Morning people aren’t born - they’re brewed. (🤭)
Punchline: While we’re no longer in the 5am club (unless you count the one with screaming toddlers and cereal negotiations ) we’ll still raise a shaker to anyone starting their day with purpose. 💚
📺 Watch it Here

👟 Nike Steps Into the Mind
Forget ground-up design — Nike’s latest drop starts from the brain down. 🧠 Meet the Mind 001 and Mind 002: the brand’s first neuroscience-based trainers, created in collaboration with leading neuroscientists to literally strengthen the mind–body connection. Using data from athlete brain scans, Nike mapped 22 foam “nodes” underfoot to stimulate sensory receptors — enhancing focus, calm, and presence with every step. Think mindfulness meets muscle memory. The result? A shoe that claims to reawaken your natural connection to the ground — barefoot feel, minus the stubbed toes. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is already testing them ahead of the January launch.
Our Thoughts: Part of us thinks it’s a clever (and very slick) rebrand of barefoot shoes — but we’re not mad about it. While nothing truly replicates the grounding of bare feet on real earth, this could be a nice alternative for city life. We can’t promise you won’t see these on our feet soon… purely for research purposes, of course. 😉
📖 Read More

🔮 TREND TO WATCH

🚽 The Toilet, Rebranded
Wellness wearables? So last season darling. The next frontier in self tracking might just be… your toilet.  Last week we featured Kohler’s smart loo - this week, French tech brand Withings takes it up a notch with the U-Scan, a mini urine-analysis lab that clips discreetly inside your bowl to track hydration, nutrition, and recovery, all synced to your phone. Think of it as your daily check-in, minus the morning journal.With AI-powered insights and even free nutrition consults, the device officially makes your bathroom the next wellness hub — part lab, part life coach. At-home health tracking just got way more personal (and a little weirdly chic).
Bottom Line (Pun Intended): With colon cancers on the rise, bringing this kind of tech into the home isn’t just clever — it’s potentially life-saving. 💡

🔬RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

🚶‍♀️ 7K Is the New 10K
Turns out the magic number might be smaller than we thought. According to a new Lancet Public Health meta analysis of 57 studies, just 7,000 steps a day is enough to make a measurable difference to your health - slashing risks of death, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, and even dementia. Researchers found that benefits plateau around 5–7K steps, with 7K linked to a 47% lower risk of all-cause mortalityand a 38% lower risk of dementia compared to 2K steps. The takeaway: you don’t need to pace your hallway at midnight to hit 10K — a few mindful walks through your day might be all it takes.
Outtake: Proof that consistency beats perfection - your daily steps don’t have to hit five digits to count. 🏃‍♀️✨
📖 Read The Study

📩 SHARE IT, SAVE IT, SEND IT

💾 Save it — for your morning scroll with a matcha in hand and the A/C finally off.
📲 Share it — with your wellness bestie who’s juggling Dubai Fitness Challenge and dinner plans.
📤 Send it — to your crew so they’re in on what’s hot in wellness (and what’s cooling down in Dubai).