Gen Z admit to overthinking in winter as half use bed room to do it
Research by EXTRA found the bedroom has become overthinking HQ for over half of Gen Z, with 70% admitting they overthink more in winter months
As a whopping 70% of Gen Z confess to overthinking more during the winter months, with the bedroom the main space to do so. New research by EXTRA has unveiled that for over half of Gen Z (54%), the bedroom has officially become the epicentre for overthinking, with most thought spirals occurring before sleep (49%).
Other prime locations include the shower or bathroom (25%) and work (18%). Despite half of young people acknowledging the positive impact of being outdoors, with 50% stating it makes them feel rejuvenated, nearly a third can go an entire day without venturing outside during the winter (31%).
Instead, technology has emerged as the primary coping mechanism to combat overthinking, with other strategies including listening to music or a podcast (52%), distracting themselves with TV (42%), or using their phone to drown out the noise (38%).
In stark contrast, only 10% currently utilise grounding techniques.
A staggering four out of five Gen Z admit to doomscrolling to block out the noise. While it provides temporary relief, a third of the time (35%) it leaves them feeling as though they’ve squandered hours, and a quarter (23%) report feeling detached from reality.
Tessa Northcott from EXTRA comments: “When the cold, grey days make even stepping outside for a reset feel impossible, the ‘Grounded’ by EXTRA Rug has your back, bringing a slice of nature indoors so you can hit pause, feel grounded, shake off those overthinking spirals, and add a little fun to the darker months… all without ever leaving home.”
‘Grounded’ by EXTRA is a limited-edition indoor rug designed to offer individuals a brief moment of tranquillity, allowing them to ‘touch grass’ at any given moment without having to face the chilly weather.
The top 10 things that Gen Z are overthinking in their daily lives include:
- How I can be more productive (45%).
- Taking care of myself (42%).
- General finances (41%).
- Relationships with family (34%).
- What to wear (31%).
- Romantic relationships (30%).
- What to eat for dinner (30%).
- School and Uni work (30%).
- Have I drank enough water today (23%).
- Vibes in the friendship group (19%).
EXTRA has joined forces with Tasha Bailey (also known as the Real Talk Therapist) who champions the benefits of grounding techniques. According to Tasha, “Grounding is the practice of stepping out of your mind and connecting back with your body. By tuning into our senses, we’re basically hitting a pause button that interrupts the cognitive loop of overthinking.
“It activates the calmer, parasympathetic side of our nervous system and helps our brain shift from spiralling to actually feeling what’s happening in the moment. Even just a few minutes can calm our amygdala, reduce overthinking and give our brain the reset we’re needingGrounding through our five senses is also one of the most accessible forms of self-care we have.
“And we can do it anywhere, anytime. Feeling the texture or warmth of something soft or in nature, focusing on the taste of gum in our mouth, or counting our chews to regulate our breath – these are all small, intentional sensory nudges pull us out of our thoughts before they take over. The more we practice this, the easier it gets to step out of our spirals and take back control of our mental space.”
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