The 2026 MODERN WELLNESS GUIDE

From food that might help you live longer to yoga classes in 100-degree heat, we put the year's buzziest trends under the microscope.

- BY KATHLEEN HOU, KATIE BEROHN, AND TASHA NICOLE SMITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY VANESSA SABA

WHY DID WORKOUTS GET SO HOT?

Everything is hot now. The earth, teddy coats—and, especially, our workouts. While hot yoga classes have been around for decades, the super-warm workouts du jour are Bikram at full blast, featuring lightweight dumbbells, upbeat playlists, and sauna-like temperatures. Hot Pilates in Los Angeles has gained a following among celebs like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner, and Fuze House in Miami and New York City is crowded with TikTokers in matching workout sets.

Your body naturally generates heat as you exert yourself—it’s evidence of the energy your muscles are producing. A hot workout piles on with infrared heating panels or mats. “It loosens your muscles. You can strengthen and stretch them better,” says Tricia Donegan, cofounder and director of teacher training and class development at ID Hot Yoga. She notes that the heat may help boost metabolism, which could be backed up by a 2020 study in Acta Physiologica that showed that higher temperatures had some metabolic benefits for overweight subjects. Julia Iafrate, DO, a sports medicine specialist in New York, points to a 2024 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research that found that resistance training in heat might lead to somewhat better performance and muscle building. And talk to anyone who enjoys hot workouts, and they'll likely mention the mental clarity that comes from sweating buckets in a sweltering room.

Hot workouts aren’t for everyone, Iafrate cautions, stressing that if you’re not used to heat, you may experience hyperthermia or dehydration, which could cause heatstroke. Some people should avoid hot classes altogether, including anyone who is under 18 or over 65, has a history of fainting or cardiovascular issues, or is taking medications like diuretics.