Irish people struggling with mental health more than ever, according to new report

Irish people are struggling with their mental health more than ever despite an increase in information available, according to findings published today as part of the Irish Life Health of the Nation Report 2025.

The research looks at Ireland’s overall health and wellbeing standards across a range of metrics, pinpointing the current health challenges Irish adults face, and highlighting the opportunities to make positive changes for our overall wellbeing.

When it comes to our mental wellbeing, the research shows that stress levels are rising, with 29% feeling anxious or stressed more than half the time while 19% report feeling sad or depressed just as often.

Younger adults continue to be the most stressed group, with more than 2 in 3 (67%) feeling stressed on a weekly basis, while stress levels are also rising among 35–54-year-olds, increasing from 54% in 2024 to 57% this year.

The research highlights how stress is impacting each generation differently, revealing the pressures and challenges across age groups.

Adults under 35 are primarily stressed by work-related factors, while those aged 35-54 report stress from household tasks, parenting and a demanding workload in their professional life.

More than half of adults (55%) say they are actively trying to reduce their stress levels.

However, 63% of respondents admit that while they know what steps to take to improve their mental health, they struggle to put them into practice.

Social media and AI

The research also found that adults are increasingly turning to social media and AI for health information.

Half of those under 35 report receiving a significant amount of health-related content through social media, while nearly one third (32%) have used AI to get a better understanding of their health.

Despite this growing reliance, more people wish to spend less time on social media and online in general. For the first time, alcohol consumption is no longer the most cited habit people want to reduce their dependence on, with over half (52%) indicating they want to cut back on their social media use.

Stacey Machesney, Head of Health and Wellbeing at Irish Life:“What really stood out in this year’s findings is the number of people actively seeking to reduce their dependence on social media. At Irish Life, we’re seeing a sharp rise in demand from corporate organisations for our programmes that build healthier digital habits and support employees in managing their relationship with technology.

“Encouragingly, more employers are now interested in expanding these supports to families, recognising the impact on children and teenagers too.

“That shift marks a real turning point and awareness is no longer enough; the challenge now is to turn intent into action by promoting more mindful and purposeful use of technology in everyday life.”

 Work life balance

Some return to office policies are also contributing to increased stress, with 34% of employees saying they are feeling at least some pressure to work in the office more than they would like. Women are more likely than men to say working in the office has negatively impacted their flexibility to manage responsibilities outside of work (30% of women vs. 24% of men).

Parents are more likely to feel stressed, with 76% reporting at least one stress factor related to work or family responsibilities, compared to the national average of 59%. Furthermore, parents are the most likely to be adversely affected by a reduction in remote working, with one in three feeling negatively impacted.

Dr Carol Rogan, Psychologist at Irish Life Wellbeing: “It is striking that nearly 2 in 3 people are aware of the steps they should take to improve their mental health, yet struggle to put them into practice. This highlights the well-known intention-behaviour gap, where good intentions don’t always translate into action.

“However, we know if employers act, they have a real opportunity to play a positive role in bridging this gap by fostering a supportive workplace culture.

“This includes offering wellbeing programmes, establishing wellbeing champion networks, encouraging role modelling by managers and leaders, providing access to coaching, implementing flexible working policies and leveraging digital tools.

“Implementing some of these strategies can have a real impact – even small steps can make a meaningful difference.”

 National Health Index

 Irish Life’s Health of the Nation research tracks key indicators, scored out of 1,000, to create the National Health Index, a benchmark measuring the overall health of the population each year.

The National Health Index has improved slightly for the first time in several years, rising to 523 in 2025, up from 520 in 2024.

This increase reflects a combination of trends, including a decrease in the health score among women and a rise among men, highlighting ongoing disparities in wellbeing.

Despite this small improvement, the National Health Index remains in the “good” category, but below pre-pandemic levels of 545 in 2019, underlining the continued need to address stress and promote healthier lifestyle habits to improve the nation’s overall health.