Why young adults feel so overwhelmed all the time

Gen Zers and millennials are feeling more overwhelmed than ever before, according to a new study.

The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults found the average Gen Zer and millennial feels overwhelmed 17 days out of a typical month.

Over four in five feel overwhelmed by their social life (88%), digital life (83%) and even by their diet (81%).

On a social level, people find it overwhelming to maintain relationships (38%) and find time to hang out with friends (32%). Digitally, younger Americans also find staring at screens (42%) and social media (35%) to be too much.

And when it comes to their diet, they feel overwhelmed by choosing healthy foods (45%), grocery shopping (40%), properly preparing and cooking foods (33%) and reading nutrition labels (23%).

On top of that, 65% said they feel overwhelmed by long lists of ingredients and nutrition labels.

Commissioned by Califia Farms and conducted by Talker Research, the study found more than two in three (68%) find the concept of simple, "less is more" living appealing. In fact, 61% said they're already practicing simpler aspects of living.

They incorporate simple, "less is more" living into their daily routines (46%), in their homes (39%), in their wardrobe (32%), in their workout routines (28%), and in their diet (27%).

And as a result, they swear simpler living has led them to feel calmer (45%), relaxed (41%), refreshed (38%) and has improved their mental health (37%).

More than half (57%) have tried to make changes to simplify their life based on things they saw on social media. And for 25%, their experiments have worked.

“It’s no surprise that Gen Z and Millennials are overwhelmed with our ‘always on’ culture; there is a lot we can’t control, so people are turning to simplified routines to reclaim a sense of calm,” said Suzanne Ginestro, Chief Marketing Officer at Califia Farms. “Even something like an easy-to-understand, simple ingredient list can offer reassurance and signal that a product is better-for-you and supports a wellness-focused lifestyle. Simple living is gaining popularity because it can be both refreshing and empowering.”

The study revealed how a simple diet is quickly becoming a main component for people's desire to live a simpler lifestyle. One in four respondents said they follow the "less is more" concept when it comes to shopping for food.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) said they find the concept of "simple eating" attractive to them.

A third said the term brings to mind the idea of eating meals that consist of foods that have a short list of ingredients (33%).

Additionally, 74% said ingredient simplicity is an important factor for them when choosing food and beverage products.

A large majority (78%) said they've made changes to their eating habits within the last year to focus on better health. They've either bought products that have less added sugar (36%), fewer processed foods (36%), or shorter ingredient lists (19%).

Nearly as many (74%) believe simple eating can lead them to better health, and 63% would likely change their entire shopping habits to support simple eating more often.

“A simple diet filled with whole foods and products that contain recognizable, pantry-friendly ingredients can have a profound impact by making people feel better and more aligned with their wellness goals,” continues Ginestro. “It’s a small and approachable, but powerful, way to take care of yourself every day. When people can trust what’s on their plate or in their glass, it creates a strong foundation for living well.”

TOP THINGS GEN Z AND MILLENNIALS FIND OVERWHELMING
Choosing healthy foods - 45%
Staring at a screen for too long - 42%
Grocery shopping - 40%
Maintaining relationships - 38%
Social media - 35%
How to properly prepare or cook different foods - 33%
Finding time to hang out with friends and family - 32%
Scheduling time to hang out - 31%
Keeping in touch with friends online - 27%
Finding quality content or information online - 25%

Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Gen Z and millennial Americans; the survey was commissioned by Califia Farms and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between June 13 and June 19, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
● Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
● Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
● Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
● Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
● Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
● Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.