Urban pressures, long work hours, and digital overload are fueling a mental health crisis in global megacities, including Asia.
Tokyo, embedded in Japan’s high-stakes work culture, contends with underreported stress, including lifetime anxiety disorders affecting 5–8% of the population, amplified by urban isolation and burnout. A 2025 study finds that, in Hong Kong, approximately 46% of residents experience mild-to-severe symptoms of depression or anxiety, with young adults particularly affected, at rates as high as 43% for depressive symptoms. Singapore echoes this strain, with youth aged 20-24 reporting severe anxiety levels of up to 34%, and severe depressive symptoms affecting 14.9–20.9% of young people. Extending this trend to Bangkok, recent 2025 reports indicate that 13.4 million Thais (about 20% of the population) have experienced mental health problems, with high stress risks around 8–9%, depression risks 9%, and particularly elevated rates among youth and university students in urban areas (depressive symptoms up to 31%, higher in Bangkok).
to answer to the need of the public, we are assisting at a revival of traditional heritage practices , and explosive rise of wellness-focused private members’ clubs . These spaces serve as proactive havens, blending modern exclusivity with ancient rituals to foster mental resilience, social connection, and holistic recovery. As consumer demand for mental health-supportive services surges—propelling the global wellness economy to $6.8 trillion in 2024 and toward nearly $9.8 trillion by 2029—customer-facing industries adapt by reimagining wellness as both accessible and aspirational.
Tokyo, blending tradition and futurism, leads in creating urban sanctuaries that counter work-related exhaustion through elite members’ clubs offering luxurious, personalized fitness and spa programs (e.g., Hills Spa) and superlative wellness facilities, including rooftop pools within networking circles (e.g., Tokyo American Club). A ‘re-vival’ of Japan’s heritage onsen and sento bathhouses, which are experiencing a tourism-driven renaissance, including urban resorts with natural hot springs (e.g., Spa LaQua) and hidden gems boasting 100% natural mineral waters (e.g., Maenohara Onsen). Spaces that introduce to a different segment of customers centuries-old communal bathing customs for mental clarity and physical rejuvenation, aligning with trends like longevity-focused heat therapy.
In Hong Kong, exclusive clubs thrive with expansive wellness floors dedicated to yoga, mindfulness events, and community-driven recovery sessions (e.g., Soho House), biohacking spas and priority gym access, mindfulness workshops in serene urban sanctuaries (e.g., The Refinery), and dedicated physiotherapy and yoga arms (e.g., Whale Club), alongside premium recovery facilities tied to high-end networking (e.g., Carlyle & Co.). Complementing these modern oases is the revival of heritage-inspired wellness, including contrast therapy saunas that draw on traditional Chinese medicine’s emphasis on balance and circulation, such as communal sauna zones with invigorating cold plunges, offering ritualistic heat-and-cold experiences that echo ancient healing practices while addressing contemporary stress. as customer loyalty increasingly hinges on emotional experiences, it is essential to make genuine connections for thriving in hong kong’s evolving wellness landscape.
Singapore, known for its premium, holistic approach to well-being, is seeing a boom in clubs that prioritize mental health amid its youth-driven anxiety epidemic. These clubs feature yoga, meditation, and sound bath sessions in heritage buildings, with ongoing expansions (e.g., Mandala Club); signature spas and yoga studios; pioneering social wellness for group recovery activities (e.g., REKOOP); and women-focused Pilates and holistic retreats (e.g., HER Wellness Club). Other concepts include onsen-inspired bathhouses blending Southeast Asian and Japanese influences, such as Finnish saunas and steam rooms (e.g., Nowhere Baths) or fusions of Japanese bathing rituals with local elements (e.g., Yunomori Onsen & Spa), providing social, therapeutic escapes that promote relaxation and community bonding.
Further south in Bangkok, the wellness evolution includes exclusive members’ clubs with premium fitness and spa memberships, as well as integrative holistic programs (e.g., Four Seasons Urban Wellness Centre, RAKxa), alongside pristine spa facilities with panoramic views (e.g., Royal Bangkok Sports Club). This upscale scene builds on the Thailand’s heritage wellness traditions—Thai massage, herbal saunas, and steam baths—poised for global prominence. These traditions feature authentic sessions at historic sites (e.g., Wat Pho) and modern interpretations that blend Japanese onsen with Thai herbal elements or emphasize herbal steam and far-infrared saunas (e.g., Yunomori Onsen & Spa, Let’s Relax Spa), drawing on ancient Ayurvedic and herbal compress techniques to become social sanctuaries addressing digital fatigue and burnout.
A range of traditional and more commercial concepts that express a the evolving profile of wellness from solitary pursuits to communal experiences, democratizing access to mental health tools while catering to elite preferences.
We are exploring these issues and the changed approached to self-care in the the section WELL-BE of appraisalatpresent.com new issue AP5 | WELL.
Sources:
Hong Kong mental health statistics: Mind HK and Manulife Hong Kong study (September 2025) – https://www.mind.org.hk/new/press-release-nearly-half-of-hongkongers-show-signs-of-depression-anxiety-or-both-co-study-by-mind-hk-and-manulife-hong-kong-estimates/
Singapore youth mental health: National Youth Mental Health Study (Institute of Mental Health, 2025) – https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/depression-anxiety-stress-1-in-3-youth-in-s-pore-reported-very-poor-mental-health-says-imh-survey and related reports
Japan/Tokyo: World Mental Health Japan Survey and recent GAD studies – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26148821/ and https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11214750/
Bangkok/Thailand: Thai Health Report 2025 and Department of Mental Health data – https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3082446/mental-health-problems-increasing-in-thailand
Global wellness economy: Global Wellness Institute 2025 Monitor – https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/industry-research/2025-global-wellness-economy-monitor/
Additional McKinsey on mental health burden: The global burden of NCDs and mental health (April 2025) – https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/investing-in-the-future-how-better-mental-health-benefits-everyone
Deloitte Gen Z and Millennial mental health insights: Deloitte Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2025 – https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/issues/work/genz-millennial-survey.html
WHO global mental health data: WHO Mental Health Atlas and World Mental Health Today (September 2025) – https://www.who.int/news/item/02-09-2025-who-releases-new-reports-and-estimates-highlighting-urgent-gaps-in-mental-health
KPMG APAC mental health economic burden: Unveiling the economic and social burden of mental health in Asia Pacific (May 2025) – https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmgsites/xx/pdf/2025/05/full-report-the-hidden-cost.pdf
Naluri Asia mental health trends (with 2025 projections): 2024 Mental Health Trends: Gen Z Most at Risk in Asia – https://www.naluri.life/news/2024-mental-health-asia-gen-z-most-at-risk
PwC workforce mental health: Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025 – https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/workforce/hopes-and-fears.html