Sept. 9, 2025 8 a.m. EST

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Headspace, the leading mental health companion for everyday support, today released its Global State of Stress & Anxiety Report, revealing how entrenched stress has become in people’s daily lives. Based on insights from over 10,000 adults across the U.S. and UK derived from a recent survey conducted with YouGov, the report shows that stress and anxiety are no longer occasional challenges; for many, they are the default state of mind.

To address this growing public health concern, Headspace is launching the Headspace TIPP Toolkit, a collection of micro-practices scientifically proven to help regulate overwhelming emotions in under five minutes. The tools are now available in the Headspace app and for free on YouTube.

Stress and Anxiety in the U.S.

• While nearly half of Americans (47%) maintain a daily physical health practice, only 28% have a consistent daily mental health routine. Instead, Americans are relying on passive coping mechanisms, such as watching TV (41%), shutting down and doing nothing (34%), or scrolling social media (29%), rather than evidence-based practices proven to reduce distress.
• Home is more stressful than the workplace/school (with 44% vs. 23%, respectively, identifying each as places where they feel high levels of stress or anxiety), and nighttime/evening is a peak stress moment – with 37% of Americans most likely to experience high anxiety levels at this time, including when trying to fall asleep.
• Top stressors include money and finances (50%), uncertainty about the future (42%), and general mental health and wellness (33%). Emerging concerns, like the future impact of artificial intelligence, are also influencing stress levels, particularly among Gen Z (18%).

Stress & Anxiety in the UK

• While over 4 in 10 Brits (43%) report maintaining a daily exercise or physical health routine, only 14% say they engage in consistent daily mental health practices. In fact, more than a quarter (27%) admit they don’t feel equipped with the skills or tools to cope in the moment when stress or anxiety hits.
• Instead, many turn to passive or surface-level coping behaviors — with 31% saying “pretending everything is okay” is a leading case of stress and anxiety — rather than building routines that support resilience.
• Home is the most frequently stressful environment (45%) for Brits, too. This is followed by social gatherings or parties (30%) and the workplace or school (29%). Similarly, nighttime/evening is the peak stress moment, with 38% reporting heightened anxiety including when trying to fall asleep, and an additional 28% experiencing stress upon waking up/early morning.
• Top drivers of anxiety include uncertainty about the future (41%), money and finances (36%), and overall mental health and wellness (33%) — with younger generations, especially Gen Z and millennials, reporting these concerns at even higher levels. Political climate (21%) and relationships (29%) also weigh heavily, while “doomscrolling” or consuming news feeds are a notable stress trigger, particularly for Gen Z (36%).

“Stress is a natural part of life, and in the right amounts, it can actually help us grow and perform at our best. The problem is that we’ve normalized living with high levels of chronic stress which isn’t sustainable,” said Jenna Glover, PhD, chief clinical officer, Headspace. “We need periods of rest and recovery to balance those inevitable peaks of stress. Learning how to regulate stress is essential, because we can’t eliminate it entirely, but we can create healthier rhythms where stress works for us rather than against us.”

Introducing the Headspace TIPP Toolkit

TIPP, which stands for Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing, and Progressive Muscle Relaxation, is a set of clinically proven, simple, and discreet practices adapted from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Headspace has reimagined these techniques into bite-sized digital tools designed for everyday life. Each practice can be learned in minutes and used on the spot, helping people swap out unhealthy coping habits for healthier, evidence-based alternatives.

"There are lots of reasons someone might experience overwhelm or distress, and a common reaction is to feel uncomfortable or revved up in their body,” said Jon Kole, MD, medical director, Headspace. “With the Headspace TIPP Toolkit, we’ve made clinically proven techniques into easily accessible micro-actions that anyone can use to calm their nervous system — whether after a tough interaction, while encountering difficult news, or before a stressful task.”

Expanding the Conversation

In addition to the Headspace TIPP Toolkit, the brand is also launching a “Who Needs Headspace?” campaign to spark conversations about the importance of daily mental health routines by inviting people to nominate content creators who could use some Headspace. The social-first initiative is inspired by the intense pressures that creators face, from constant posting to navigating criticism, that take a toll on their well-being. Their public platforms make them powerful voices for normalizing the importance of investing in mental health every day.

The brand is first teaming up with Aaron Parnas, an independent breaking news journalist and arguably TikTok’s most stressed-out creator who is often urged by his community to take care of his mental health because of the high-stress nature of his job, to begin showcasing how simple mindfulness and mental health practices can be integrated into everyday life. The ongoing campaign is designed to support creators from all walks of life who experience stress and anxiety. Headspace will then select several content creators to collaborate with the brand.

To nominate a creator, visit Headspace on Instagram and TikTok through September 15.

To explore the Headspace TIPP Toolkit, visit headspace.com/mental-health/stress.

About Headspace

Headspace is the leading everyday mental health companion, helping people care for their minds anytime, anywhere. Our all-in-one app delivers personalized support — from AI-powered guidance to meditation and mindfulness, coaching, and therapy — all designed to fit seamlessly into daily life. We partner with leading employers, health plans, and organizations to extend mental health care to their communities, offering additional services including psychiatry, EAP, care navigation, and work-life resources. Our team is made up of world-class clinicians, Emmy Award-winning storytellers, and leading AI technologists, working together to help millions around the globe build resilience and feel better. In a busy, complicated world, Headspace is here to remind you: your mind matters. Learn more at headspace.com.

Methodology

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 10,049 adults (5,028 in US; 5,021 in UK) Fieldwork was undertaken between 18th - 31st July 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US & UK adults (aged 18+).

Contacts

Jenna Tocatlian
Communications
Headspace
press@headspace.com