Welcome to 2025 — a year that has so much potential for fresh starts, healthier habits, and ultimately a more centered you. Gen Zers definitely want to better balance classes, internships, relationships, and everything else life throws your way this year. But if 2024 taught us anything, it’s that self-care is no longer a luxury; it’s literally a lifeline. These seven wellness trends are sure to help you stay absolutely grounded, glowing, and thriving this year — according to Gen Zers who swear by them.
It’s really no secret that Gen Zers are redefining what wellness looks like, blending ancient traditions with cutting-edge trends, and they’re here to spill all the secrets. From budget-friendly sexual wellness products to purchase without draining your bank account to breathwork routines that fit between study sessions, these tried-and-true rituals and hacks are curated to actually meet your needs. Whether it’s embracing digital detox Sunday resets, building bulletproof morning rituals, or discovering skincare that works as hard as you do, this is the year to prioritize yourself unapologetically.
As the new year kicks off, let this be your ultimate guide to cultivating balance, boosting confidence, and setting the tone for your best year yet. Because when you take care of yourself, everything else falls into place.
- Making your daily coffee or tea a ritual.
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“Every night, I try to make myself a cozy cup of herbal tea,” shares Ava*, 20. “I just love how calming the whole process is: choosing the tea, waiting for the water to boil, and just sitting with the warmth in my hands. It helps me mentally clock out from the day and reminds me to slow down.”
- Incorporating Hydration powder packets into your daily routine.
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Hydration is important, and for Bree*, 20, the more hydrated, the better! “I had noticed I had been neglecting my daily vitamins, and these packets made it easy to incorporate them without the preservatives and sugar found in other hydration powders,” she shares. “Even just drinking 1-2 sticks a day, I felt so much more hydrated and energized than before.”
- Taking a shower in the dark
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Yes, it’s a thing. “There’s something about tuning into all your senses and winding down with the water running,” shares Celeste*, 21. “I like to listen to good music or a podcast, but I also take a moment for mindfulness, even talking to myself sometimes. It’s super grounding.”
- Setting your tech to Do Not Disturb.
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“Sometimes, you really have to clock out, whether it’s after class, work, or even from your social life,” says Diego*, 21. “I love staying busy and productive, but even something as small as a poorly timed email can throw me off when I’m trying to relax and unwind.”
- Starting the day off slow.
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“I recently got a Hatch alarm clock and it has completely changed my sleep and wake-up habits,” says Ellie*, 21. “Waking up to soothing and natural sounds has made me so relaxed in the morning and much more of an early bird.”
- Repeating positive affirmations
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There’s power in the things that we say. “I don’t like to call myself a negative person, but there are times when my mind tends to drift that way and creates drama out of nothing,” Fallon*, 21, says. “That’s why my favorite wellness thing is to tell myself, ‘Nothing is that deep.’ It helps me keep it all in perspective.”
- Sticking to a routine
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“I feel my best when I can wake up and go to bed at a set time as often as I can; every day is best: As a part of that routine, I also try to get all my exercise in first thing because then it’s not looming over me all day, and I’m not as prone to skip it because I’m exhausted from everything else,” Grace, 27*, says. “I’m a night owl by nature, but I see an obvious difference in my mood and productivity when I get an early start and enough hours of sleep.”
Wellness doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or IG-worthy to make a difference — it’s about those small, intentional choices that keep you centered. So take a deep breath, hydrate, and maybe even try a shower in the dark (we won’t judge).
*Names have been changed for privacy purposes. Interviews have been edited for clarity and length.