According to new findings, the wellness of millennials is worse than any other generation, but young people are doing there best to try and change this.

East Anglian Daily Times: Exercise and quality 'me' time are two ways millenials are trying to improve their wellbeingExercise and quality 'me' time are two ways millenials are trying to improve their wellbeing (Image: GeorgeRudy)

As a generation that has previously been called lazy and told that we’d be able to buy our first house with ease if we just stopped spending our money on pointless rubbish such as avocado on toast, millennials are constantly under fire.

The argument that millennials need to try harder however is as lacking in facts, as in real life we’re actually continuously putting pressure on ourselves to do and be more – thanks to a combination of excessively high personal standards and overly critical self-evaluations – and its taking a toll on our wellbeing.

According to new findings by health and fitness app, MINDBODY, millennials in the UK rate their wellness lower than any other age range.

Unsurprisingly, for young individuals (who are often working long hours as well as on a ‘side hustle’ simultaneously) stress was revealed to be the biggest negative influence, with nearly one in four 25-34 year olds (39%) saying they feel somewhat stressed and anxious daily.

East Anglian Daily Times: Social, financial and work pressures are worst for millenials PICTURE: Getty ImagesSocial, financial and work pressures are worst for millenials PICTURE: Getty Images (Image: This content is subject to copyright.)

This isn’t helped either by the facts we’re getting, on average, just six hours and 38 minutes of sleep per night (out of the recommended eight hours) and are finding only a measly 5.5 hours per week for quality ‘me time’.

And, while these issues are enough in themselves, there are many other factors us millennials have to face that the generations preceding us barely had to worry about, including social pressures and financial worries.

Despite all this though, millennials are more clued up than ever on exactly what they should be doing to reduce the negative effects everyday life can have. We eat better and smoke less than the generations before us and, most importantly, know that exercise is one of the best ways to combat stress and improve our ‘wellness’ – with over 69% of millennials in the MINDBODY study admitting that exercise helps alleviate their stress levels.

Recent findings by leading fitness educator The Training Room support this, suggesting that despite having some of the lowest levels of wellness in the UK, young individuals are trying to make positive changes to improve their wellbeing. A survey, carried out on 89 personal trainers, in April this year has shown that more people than ever are now seeking the advice and support of qualified trainers to help manage mental health and wellbeing issues.

East Anglian Daily Times: Young individuals are looking to exercise to improve their wellness PICTURE: Getty ImagesYoung individuals are looking to exercise to improve their wellness PICTURE: Getty Images (Image: This content is subject to copyright.)

Around 55% of PTs surveyed said they had seen a recent rise in clients approaching them with mental health concerns or worries about wellbeing, with the top three concerns being stress caused by work, money and financial issues and achieving a work-life balance. While personal trainers may have been hired solely for help with achieving physical benefits such as weight loss previously, it is clear they are now sought after, especially by younger individuals, due to the fact exercise can positively impact other areas of a person’s life.

Greg Slade, head of health and fitness at The Training Room, said: “The fitness industry is becoming much more diverse, with a strong shift towards overall wellness. It’s an exciting time for the sector and it’s great to see PTs being able to make a genuine impact on the health and overall wellbeing of their clients.”

Exercise increases the amount of serotonin – the happy hormone – produced in the body, which is nature’s way of improving your mood. And, while exercise is an important part of the wellness journey, it doesn’t mean spending every waking hour in the gym. Simply spending more time outdoors or fitting a quick workout in at home can go a long way in improving health and wellbeing.

East Anglian Daily Times: Millennials get the least sleep on average than any other generation PICTURE: Getty ImagesMillennials get the least sleep on average than any other generation PICTURE: Getty Images (Image: This content is subject to copyright.)