As stress levels rise, wellness travel is booming—but it often comes with long flights, hefty price tags, and treatments that don’t always deliver lasting results. This World Mental Health Day, ASICS and its newest wellbeing ambassador, Natasha Rothwell, are inviting the world to take an Everyday Escape – a simple 15 minute movement break – that is proven to transport you to a happier place and deliver more lasting benefits than a week at a wellness retreat.1
According to Hilton’s 2025 Travel Trends report, demand for wellness holidays is surging in the UAE with nearly half (43%) of the respondents regularly booking wellness or spa experiences as a central part of their travel.2 Meanwhile, new research by ASICS 3, surveying people who recently took a wellness holiday, found that people from the UAE travel an average of 2,867km and spend an average of 6,003 AED on their wellness retreats. Yet, these holidays don’t always deliver: seven in ten (71%) said their retreat failed to meet all expectations, and two in three (66%) reported that any wellness benefits faded as soon as they left the retreat or shortly after returning home. For some, the experience even added to their stress levels, with 42% citing cost and 31% saying long travel distances were stress-inducing.
In contrast, ASICS’ research highlights the transformative power of movement on mental wellbeing, showing that just 15 minutes and 9 seconds of exercise can trigger a measurable mental uplift.4 In a new Everyday Escape trial, overseen by Dr Brendon Stubbs of King’s College London, participants who took a simple daily 15-minute movement break reported a 21% greater uplift in their overall mental state compared to their wellness holiday. In fact, 71% said daily movement was more effective at reducing stress, 65% found it more mood-enhancing and 73% experienced longer-lasting mental wellbeing benefits than after their recent wellness holiday.
To help more people to find their happy place through movement, ASICS has enlisted Natasha Rothwell, actor, writer, and wellness advocate, as its Everyday Escape Concierge. Rothwell will share inspiration to help people weave small but meaningful moments of movement into their daily routines, making wellness accessible and affordable for all.
“The Everyday Escape trial (n=17) should be seen as an early proof-of-concept study, reinforced by a global survey of 11,000 people and aligned with external scientific evidence.” Natasha Rothwell
Across the world, ASICS is encouraging people to take an #EverydayEscape and feel the benefits. People who take a 15-minute movement break are encouraged to share their Everyday Escape and help raise funds for mental wellbeing charities around the world.
Dr Brendon Stubbs, a leading researcher in exercise and mental health from King’s College London, said: “It’s incredible to see the impact 15 minutes of movement can have on mental wellbeing. The Everyday Escape trial shows that small movement breaks can boost mood and reduce stress more effectively than a wellness holiday. All the participants said they’d be continuing to take movement breaks moving forward, and 81% said they’re now prioritising movement for their wellbeing over attending another retreat. A week away may give a short-term boost, but exercise delivers long-term benefits.”
Gary Raucher, Head of Global Marketing for ASICS comments: “At ASICS, we believe that you don’t need to go far to leave it all behind. That’s why we’re inviting everyone to take an Everyday Escape, a simple 15-minute movement break, to take their body and mind to a happier place. At ASICS, we’ve always championed the power of movement, however small, to help people feel better. It’s the reason we were founded and why we’re called ASICS – an acronym for the Latin ‘Anima Sana in Corpore Sano’ or ‘Sound Mind In A Sound Body’. We hope people will join us on World Mental Health Day and take an Everyday Escape, because when you move your body, you move your mind. “
To take your Everyday Escape, visit: asics.com/everydayescape
