Hi friends,

And just like that… another summer comes to an end.

However you’re feeling about it — sad, excited, not ready to let go, secretly counting the days until the kids are back at school and life finds a rhythm again (or maybe all of that rolled into one) — it’s all completely valid.

For me, September always feels like a fresh start. A chance to reset, to zoom out from the daily noise and re orientate towards the bigger picture of what we want — personally, professionally, and everything in between. A time to channel that good summer energy into refreshed goals and maybe even some brave new leaps.

Here at The Wellness Drop, we’re leaning into that “new year” energy too. Next week we’ll be unveiling a fresh new look (plus a very exciting giveaway 🎁), but this week we couldn’t resist spoiling you early… with an incredible offer for the Soul Wellness Festival at Soneva in the Maldives. Honestly, this one has been on my bucket list since it launched, and with its world class line-up, barefoot luxury vibes, and a 20% TWD subscriber only discount, it might just be the ultimate way to kick off your September reset. Head down to the Wellness Wire for more details!

And that’s not all — we’ve got more free community events, giveaways, and exclusive discounts coming your way soon. As always, we are truly so grateful you’re here. If you’re loving The Wellness Drop, please spread the word so we can keep growing this community and bringing you even more of the wellness things you love - forward this email to a friend & encourage them to sign up, or share our sign up link in bio on Instagram. Sharing is (self) caring, after all 😉

This week’s Wellness Wire (and Local Lowdown) is a PACKED one… so grab a cuppa besties, and let’s get stuck in….

With love (and a very sparkly September ahead),

Harriet and Katie

XOXO

📍 Joint Space, Alserkal Avenue

Alserkal Avenue is fast becoming one of our favourite places to hang out - and Joint Space is a big reason why.

Part polyclinic, part movement studio, part education hub - this space is redefining what integrated care looks like. From osteopathy, physiotherapy, and chiropractic to 1:1 movement coaching and functional medicine, everything works together under one (very aesthetically pleasing) roof.

We’ve experienced it ourselves - Katie took Rex for a naturopathic consultation and we’ve lost count of the number of friends who rave about the chiropractors here, especially during pregnancy.

The philosophy? Long-term health over quick fixes. Whether you're managing pain, prepping for birth, training hard, or just want to move and feel better - Joint Space meets you where you’re at and helps you build from there.

There’s also a strong focus on education and prevention, with regular workshops, talks, and small group sessions to help you understand your body and take ownership of your wellbeing.

It’s smart, welcoming, and truly community-led - the kind of space that shifts how you think about health.

As schools reopen and the city eases back into its familiar rhythm, it’s easy to get swept up in structure and routine. This week’s gatherings are your gentle reminder to balance all that structure with moments that actually fill you up — from ocean breathwork to heart opening rituals that feed the soul.

🌊 Floating Breathwork at Sea
Every Sunday at 7:45 pm
📍MGallery The Retreat Palm
The world’s first floating breathwork in the sea, guided by the incredible Ashley Edelman. A transformative experience blending breathwork with the calm embrace of the ocean.
Book here

🌌 Multidimensional Breathwork Journey
Tuesday 26 August, 7:30 pm
📍IMMERSEE, See Institute @ The Sustainable City
A one-of-a-kind 360º experience with Beyond Wellness and IMD Breathwork Dubai. This guided session weaves together breathwork, sound, art, and energy to help you release stored trauma, dissolve anxiety, and reset your nervous system.
Book here

🎶 Yogic Sleep & Sound Healing
Wednesday 27 August, 11:30 am
📍Esque Gallery, Italia Conti Dubai Hills
Step into stillness with Purva. This 60-minute yogic sleep and sound healing journey is designed to restore balance, calm, and clarity - all inside the serene setting of an art gallery.
DM @esquegallery to reserve your spot.

💗 528Hz Heart Bloom: Breath, Sound & Sacred Flower Tea Ritual
Thursday 28 August, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
📍Home of Wellness
A 90-minute journey to soften and open the heart, guided by the healing resonance of the 528Hz love frequency. Through conscious breathwork, a sacred flower tea ceremony, restorative sound, and reflective journaling, you’ll be gently supported back to balance and connection - a tender return to love.
To book, message +971 54 461 5414

☁️TODA x Heveya Cloud Mat Series
Friday 29 August, 9:00 am
📍Theatre of Digital Art, Madinat Jumeirah
An immersive 60-minute sound and hypno-meditation journey led by Alexandra Venison. Expect guided meditation, nervous system regulation, and breathwork — all set against TODA’s stunning digital art backdrop.
Book here

🌸 Deep Stretch & Sound Healing
Saturday 30 August, 8:30 AM
📍ARTE Dubai
In collaboration with Villa Sage and Clarice. A blend of gentle stretching and healing sounds to release tension, calm the mind, and recharge for the week ahead - all surrounded by breathtaking immersive art. After class, enjoy a mindful drink at the tea bar.
DM @villasage to book

✨ A Night to Receive & Reset
Every Friday, 7:30 – 8:30 pm
📍Sohum Wellness Sanctuary
Your new Friday ritual. Step into a sacred space of calm and healing with a Reiki Share guided by Grand Master Liza Hamilton-Smith - a healer who holds a special place in both of our hearts. This intimate session supports energetic clearing, nervous system regulation, and reconnection to self. Includes a nourishing meal and drink to ground and replenish.
Book here

🌙 Wellness with Lululemon & Night Swim
Every Friday & Saturday, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
📍Tagomago
Begin with a beautiful yoga flow, then dive into a refreshing evening swim in the stunning setting of Tagomago - the perfect start to your weekend.
Book here

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

🏛️ INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS

🥄 Scoop Wholefoods Goes Nationwide
Good news for your pantry (and your planet). Scoop Wholefoods, a Wellness Drop fave for organic staples and plastic free shopping here in Dubai, has just expanded its delivery service across all seven Emirates! What started as a single Springs Souk store by two ex Google colleagues has grown into a conscious living movement - think bulk buy pantry essentials, gut friendly ferments, natural beauty, and eco home must-haves, all delivered to your door without the plastic guilt.
Wellness bestie take: We are OVERJOYED at this news — from chocolates to kombucha (and their dangerously addictive dried bananas — seriously, thank us later), Scoop makes sustainable swaps simple. Now there’s officially no excuse wherever you live in the UAE.
🛍️ Shop Here

🌴 SOUL Festival Returns to the Maldives
Soneva’s flagship wellness gathering is back for its third edition this October 9–13, 2025 at Soneva Fushi, set in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Over five immersive days, the island will host a global line-up of wellness leaders and innovators: think barefoot Sanctum rituals on the sand, intuitive healing with Ground Wellbeing, Pilates overlooking the ocean, longevity insights from Tim Gray, anti ageing wisdom from Dr. Timm Golüke, and transformational breathwork, sound journeys, and sensory dinners under the stars. Days move from movement and mindfulness to panels and hands on workshops, closing each evening with music and reflection beneath Maldivian skies.
Our thoughts: At rates starting from $2.7k per night, full board, including seaplane transfers both ways AND full access to all workshops and speaker sessions — this is incredible value given what's included, the exclusivity of the hotel and the stellar line up. And because we love you, we’ve secured an exclusive discount: a further 20% off for Wellness Drop subscribers. Interested? Reply to us here and we’ll connect you.
📖 Read More

🌊 Saudi’s Next Big Wellness Playground: Amaala
Saudi’s Red Sea coast is about to get a wellness glow up. Amaala, powered entirely by renewable energy, is opening as one of the world’s most ambitious wellness destinations — uniting longevity clinics, hydrotherapy suites, cryotherapy chambers, organic spa gardens, and performance-focused recovery rituals across resorts from Clinique La Prairie, Six Senses, Equinox, Jayasom, Rosewood, and Four Seasons. At its heart is The Wellness Route — a landscaped trail linking it all through sensory gardens, wadis, and coastal cliffs. With a rare microclimate and architecture designed to calm the nervous system, it’s less backdrop and more prescription.
Wellness Bestie Take: Forget long haul flights — dolphins, desert plateaus, and cryotherapy in one place? Amaala is set to put the Middle East firmly on the global wellness map.
📖 Read More

🏜️ Sharjah Steps Into the Wellness Spotlight
Dubai might have the biohacking gyms and Saudi’s been making noise with Amaala, but Sharjah? She’s quietly having her eco-luxury moment. The Sharjah Collection already strings together seven retreats across dunes, mangroves, and mountain valleys — from glamping domes under Mleiha’s starry skies to sea-facing tents in Kalba’s mangroves. And coming late 2025 is the Nomad Retreat: twenty solar-powered trailers tucked in the Kalba mountains, no-wifi, no-light pollution, and night skies so dazzling your circadian rhythm will write you a thank-you note.
Wellness Bestie Take: The UAE’s wellness map isn’t just Dubai anymore — Sharjah is proving that eco chic retreats can be just as headline worthy as Saudi’s mega-dreamscapes.
📖 Read More

📈 Whoop vs. the FDA — Round Two
Remember a few weeks back when we flagged the FDA side eyeing Whoop’s new Blood Pressure Insights feature? Well, the story continues. Last month the FDA sent a warning letter, essentially saying the tool strays into “medical device” territory. This month Whoop clapped back: they’re not pulling it. Instead, they’re doubling down, insisting it’s a wellness feature - clearly labeled, packed with disclaimers, and backed by research - meant to help users understand how blood pressure impacts sleep, recovery, and performance.
Our Take: We’re team keep it. Information is power, and as long as the data’s reliable, more insight in your pocket is a wellness win. Don’t take away our toys, FDA 💅.
📖 Read More

😴 Eight Sleep Dreams Big
Sleep fitness just got a $100M boost. Eight Sleep- the company behind the smart Pod mattress cover - is building an AI Sleep Agent to predict disturbances and auto adjust your bed’s temp, elevation, and routines in real time. Alongside, it’s chasing FDA clearance, launching in China, and opening retail stores. The growth story is big: $500M in sales since 2019, 10x revenue growth, and 30+ countries already tucked in. Its Hot Flash Mode is live, sleep supplements are here, and medical use cases like apnea support are on the horizon.
Wellness Watch: With only a slim 15% of people worldwide say they wake feeling rested every day (and women disproportionately impacted), the $21B sleep tech market is heating up. Sure, data alone can’t cure your bad night’s sleep - but if AI actually helps us snooze better, we’ll happily let it tuck us in.
📖 Read More

🚴 Peloton Wants to Be Your Wellness OS
Peloton is pivoting hard. Alongside new product upgrades, it’s building Peloton Intelligence — an AI engine promising personalised workouts, recovery insights, sleep tracking, and even mental well-being guidance. It makes strategic sense  but it’s late. Peloton had the momentum to own this space years ago and lost it while the fitness world fractured into apps, trackers, and boutique platforms. Now it’s fighting for relevance in a data driven, platform agnostic world.
POV: If Peloton can pull this off, it shifts from selling bikes to becoming the dashboard for your whole healthspan. But the question remains: are they innovating… or just catching up?
📖 Read More

🧪 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

🏃‍♀️ Can a Run Club Beat Your Prescription?
A study out of Amsterdam from 2023 is making the rounds again - and it’s sparking conversation. Researchers compared 16 weeks of SSRI treatment with group running therapy (≥2x per week) in people with depression and anxiety. The result? Mental health outcomes were nearly identical: about 44% of people in both groups went into remission. But runners also saw boosts to physical health — with better weight, blood pressure, and fitness scores — while the medication group often moved in the opposite direction. Of course, the study wasn’t perfect. Most participants chose running over medication, so the groups weren’t evenly balanced. And more people dropped out of the running arm, proving that sticking with movement can be just as tough as the miles themselves. Still, the findings highlight something powerful: movement, especially when done together, could be one of the most under-prescribed tools we have.
Wellness bestie take: It’s not news - movement is medicine. Of course, prescription medicine, alongside traditional therapy absolutely has its place, but movement - especially done together - could be one of the most under prescribed therapies out there. Looking for a club to get started? We rounded up our faves in Dubai HERE

🔮 TREND TO WATCH

🫂 Togetherness Is the New Wellness Hack
The hottest wellness trend right now? Togetherness. In a world where both artificial intelligence and artificial intimacy are rising (a reported 74% of food cooked in restaurants across the US is now eaten outside restaurants - proof that convenience and frictionless living are shaping much of modern life), wellness is carving a different path. Instead of more shortcuts and solitude, we’re seeing a rise in community: run crews (see above!), cycle squads, pilates on the beach Sundays. After years of solo apps and at-home workouts, what we’re really craving is belonging just as much as balance.
Wellness Bestie Take: In a time when everything’s a swipe away, let’s not forget - real growth happens beside someone cheering you on (or plunging into ice water with you). For now, we’ll take the IRL version of self-care any day.
📖 Read More

📩 SHARE IT, SAVE IT, SEND IT

💾 Save it — for when you’re eyeing up smart beds, or just need proof your run crew is therapy.
📲 Share it — with the friend who swears Peloton is “so over”
📤 Send it — to someone who needs a gentle nudge: September is the real wellness new year.