Wellness Updates Guaranteed to Transform Your Day-to-Day

The summer season always guarantees a schedule packed with weekend getaways, and late evenings out that extend into the early morning. While you unwind through the warmer months, it is crucial to balance out those extra Aperol spritz with easy lifestyle shifts. These trending approaches to optimizing wellness ensure an extra layer of self-care to cushion against any summer indulgence.

New In Town

Recovery Zone

Toronto doesn’t need another cold plunge, but NRG Haus makes a convincing case for itself. Founded by Ivan Ho—the man behind Fit Factory and Refined Reformer—the newly opened Liberty Village destination was built on observation. After more than a decade of watching clients push harder and recover poorly, Ho realized that what people need isn’t more stimulation; it’s better regulation—and the 465-square-metre space delivers. Inside, cathedral ceilings and eucalyptus showers ease you in before four cold plunges (ranging from 2 to 10oC) and a 55-person cedar sauna do their thing. Post-sauna, sip at the sober mocktail bar, which offers adaptogen blends and fresh coconut water and holds a DJ night three times a week. The goal is simple: You walk out feeling better than when you walked in.

Clean Chew

Oral Care

What if chewing gum could actually clean your teeth? Toothpod, a Canadian-founded functional gum born out of University of Toronto research, is exactly that: a science-backed chewable for life’s moments when a toothbrush isn’t an option. Each piece contains a dentist-approved blend of hydroxyapatite, resveratrol, magnolia bark and xylitol—no fluoride, no aspartame, no artificial anything. Clinical trials show that it removes twice as much plaque as regular xylitol gum. Willy Wonka meets your dental hygienist. Toothpod Dental Smart Chewable 20-Pack, $28

Make it Fancy

Wearables

Gen Z aren’t just tracking their sleep; they’re giving it personality. With Oura ring sales projected to hit $1.4 billion this year, wearable health tech has officially gone mainstream. The only problem? It doesn’t exactly look the part. Enter Toronto-based CAFA-winning jeweller Steff Eleoff, whose limited-edition Elixir Tech Ring Cover—a sculptural sterling-silver sleeve that transforms the Oura into an actual piece of jewellery—sold out in three days flat (but is now back in stock). Launched in a campaign with dancer and influencer Donté Colley, it has since been followed by the Flow Tech Ring Cover. Wearable tech that’s finally worth wearing.

Rest Assured

Sleep Supplement

The sleep industry has long been dressed in lavender and whispered promises. But Sleep or Die, founded by ex-PepsiCo marketer Lauren Sudeyko, is having none of it. The brand’s offering arrives in a cigarette-style box (cheeky by design) housing 30 individually sealed sleep strips, which dissolve on your tongue in under 10 minutes. If THC and CBD gummies aren’t your thing, this might be worth a try. The formulation blends L-theanine, GABA, 5-HTP and a small dose of melatonin for a gentle nudge toward sleep—not a knock-out. Sleep or Die Sleep Strips, $54