Health and wellness continue to rank highly among Singaporeans’ priorities—but intention does not always translate into action. Recent survey findings from Virgin Active’s Wellness Trends Survey, alongside regional research from AIA, suggest that people are thinking more seriously about their wellbeing than before, yet structural pressures, information overload and cultural expectations still shape how easily they can follow through.

Taken together, these findings point less to a lack of motivation and more to a mismatch between aspiration and everyday reality.

Health Remains a Strong Priority for Many Singaporeans

According to the Virgin Active Wellness Trends Survey of 1,000 Singapore residents, nearly eight in ten respondents said they are either maintaining or increasing their focus on health and wellness compared to the previous year.

Physical wellness remains the top priority, followed by mental wellbeing and sleep or recovery. Over the past year, many respondents reported starting new exercise routines, improving work–life balance and making changes to their sleep habits. Looking ahead, sleep improvement appears to be the most common goal people want to incorporate into their routines.

This reflects a broader shift in how wellness is understood today. Instead of being limited to exercise or diet alone, it increasingly includes recovery, emotional resilience and sustainable lifestyle habits.

Sleep and Recovery Are Becoming Central to Wellness Conversations

One of the clearest signals from the survey is how strongly people are focusing on sleep. While only about four in ten respondents feel they get enough rest, a significant proportion reported that poor sleep continues to affect their energy, focus and daily functioning.

More than half also said they rarely set aside dedicated time for recovery during the week.

This gap between awareness and behaviour is important. Many people already recognise that rest is essential, but struggle to build routines that support it. Time pressure, long working hours and digital habits are likely contributors.

Busyness Remains the Biggest Barrier to Better Health

When asked what prevents them from prioritising wellness, the most common answer was simple: life feels too busy.

More than six in ten respondents cited stress, fatigue or packed schedules as their main obstacle. Others said they lacked guidance or accountability to stay consistent.

These findings reinforce a familiar pattern. Wellness is rarely limited by knowledge alone. Instead, it is shaped by how realistic routines feel within daily responsibilities such as work, caregiving and commuting.

Nutrition Still Matters—but Practical Challenges Get in the Way

Almost everyone surveyed agreed that nutrition is an essential part of overall wellbeing. Yet many respondents said they struggle to maintain healthy eating habits, particularly when dining out frequently or juggling limited time to prepare meals.

Another common concern was uncertainty about what counts as genuinely healthy food. This highlights how information overload—rather than lack of information—can sometimes make decision-making harder.

In Singapore’s food culture, where convenience and variety are widely available, this tension is especially visible.

Many People Prefer Guidance Rather Than Guesswork

The survey also suggests that Singaporeans are not necessarily trying to navigate wellness independently.

Most respondents said they would rather receive advice from qualified professionals than rely entirely on self-directed research. At the same time, many reported feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of health information available online.

Interestingly, people still rely heavily on informal sources such as friends and family for wellness advice, alongside doctors, health experts and websites. This mix reflects how health decisions are shaped by both personal relationships and professional knowledge.

Community and Environment Play a Bigger Role Than Expected

Wellness is often framed as an individual responsibility, but the survey findings suggest that social context matters more than expected.

Respondents expressed interest in group-based activities such as clubs, workshops and community events. Outdoor activities like nature walks and cycling also ranked among the most popular wellness choices.

Many described their ideal wellness environment as calm, private and supportive—suggesting that the atmosphere surrounding a routine can influence whether people sustain it.

Health Stereotypes May Also Be Affecting How People Approach Wellness

Beyond lifestyle habits, cultural expectations can shape how individuals relate to health in the first place.

Regional research by AIA across Asia found that many people still associate wellness with discipline, emotional restraint or major personal transformation rather than gradual progress. For example, 69% of respondents agreed that fitness requires strict discipline with little room for compromise, while 59% believed improving health requires a complete transformation rather than incremental change.

These beliefs can be motivating for some individuals but discouraging for others—especially if they create the impression that health improvements must be immediate or dramatic to be meaningful.

The research also highlighted how expectations around emotional control and financial success can influence how people interpret wellbeing, particularly across different life stages and gender roles.

The Gap Between Intention and Action Is the Real Story

Taken together, the survey insights point to something more nuanced than a simple rise or decline in wellness engagement.

Singaporeans are clearly interested in improving their health. Many are already adjusting their routines, exploring new activities and thinking more carefully about recovery and nutrition. At the same time, competing priorities, uncertainty about where to start and persistent cultural expectations continue to shape how sustainable these changes feel.

Rather than signalling a lack of commitment, the findings suggest that people are navigating wellness within complex real-world constraints.

As conversations around wellbeing continue to evolve, the challenge ahead may not be convincing people that health matters—but helping them find realistic ways to integrate it into everyday life.

Rethink Healthy research report and methodology

Images: Envato