Gen Z think babies born today could live to 150, and they’re trying ice baths and ‘sleepmaxxing’ to add years to their own lives
A survey of over 2,200 British adults has revealed that Gen Z have significantly different attitudes to ageing and longevity compared to older generations. One in five young adults believe babies born today could live to 150, and 61 per cent are actively taking steps to extend their lifespan through health improvements. This generational shift reflects a growing obsession with longevity, fuelled partly by social media trends and anxiety about ageing.
Gen Z are spending an average of £111.90 monthly on nutrition, exercise, supplements and alternative therapies, which is 11 per cent more than Millennials and 39 per cent more than Baby Boomers. Trendy approaches gaining traction include ice baths (tried by 21 per cent of Gen Z versus 1 per cent of Boomers), 'sleepmaxxing' (15 per cent), and personalised nutrition plans (13 per cent). However, underlying this enthusiasm is significant anxiety: 49 per cent of Gen Z admit to fearing ageing, and 45 per cent fear looking old. Social media platforms like TikTok (37 per cent) and YouTube (32 per cent) are major influences on wellbeing practices, though 35 per cent of Gen Z trust the healthy-ageing advice they see online whilst nearly half feel pressured to maintain a youthful appearance.
- Gen Z spend £111.90 monthly on health habits in bid to live longer.
- One in five have tried ice baths; 49 per cent fear getting older.
- Social media influences 37% via TikTok but 46 per cent feel pressured to look young.
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Gen Z are the youngest adult generation, currently in their late teens to early thirties. A survey of over 2,200 British adults has found that this generation holds significantly different beliefs about ageing and potential human lifespan compared to their parents and grandparents. One in five young adults surveyed believe babies born today could live to 150 years old.
This generational difference is reflected in lifestyle choices: around six in ten Gen Z respondents report actively trying to extend their lifespan through health improvements. They are spending considerably more money on nutrition, exercise, supplements and wellness practices than older generations, including approaches such as ice baths, optimised sleep routines, and personalised nutrition plans.
Social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube are major sources of wellbeing and longevity content for Gen Z. However, the data reveals significant underlying anxiety: nearly half of Gen Z admit to fearing ageing, and a similar proportion worry about looking old. Many report feeling pressured to maintain a youthful appearance even as they pursue these health-extending strategies.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Young people's engagement with evidence-based longevity practices—improved sleep, regular exercise, targeted nutrition—reflects genuinely sound health science for extending healthspan and preventing age-related disease. Even if social media has amplified these conversations, the result has democratised wellness information and motivated millions towards measurable lifestyle improvements that medical evidence supports. This generational proactivity demonstrates admirable responsibility for health outcomes, with real potential to improve population health and reduce chronic disease burden.
The case against
Beneath the wellness enthusiasm lies troubling psychological distress: nearly half of Gen Z fear ageing and 45 per cent fear looking old, suggesting this trend is fundamentally driven by anxiety rather than health optimisation. Social media's dominant role is particularly harmful—it conflates pseudoscientific fads with evidence-based practices, creates unrealistic appearance standards, and drives substantial monthly spending on commercial solutions to existential fears. Rather than fostering sustainable relationships with ageing, this pattern embeds a culture of constant self-surveillance, consumption-based anxiety management, and denial of a natural life stage.