TikTok has announced a series of new initiatives aimed at promoting mental health awareness and well-being on its platform. These include the launch of guided in-app meditation exercises for all users and the expansion of its Mental Health Education Fund, which supports organizations worldwide.
In a recent pilot, TikTok introduced a “sleep time meditation” feature designed to help users relax during nighttime hours. The test results showed that 98% of teenage users kept the meditation experience active. Building on this success, TikTok will now offer the meditation feature to all users. For users under 18, the feature will be automatically enabled. When these users continue to use the app past 10 p.m., their personalized content feed will be temporarily paused and replaced by guided meditation sessions, encouraging relaxation before bedtime. If teens choose to continue using the app despite the initial prompt, a second, more prominent full-screen reminder will appear. Adult users can enable this feature manually through the “Screen Time” settings.
TikTok collaborated with child psychiatrist and content creator Dr. Willough Jenkins to promote the benefits of this feature. Dr. Jenkins emphasizes the importance of healthy digital habits and the role that guided meditation and restful music can play in improving sleep quality.
“Sleep is one of the most powerful tools for mental health, especially for teenagers,” Dr. Jenkins stated. “TikTok’s new sleep meditation feature offers guided exercises, gentle music, and reminders to step away from screens, helping both teens and adults achieve a more peaceful night.”
In addition to these new features, TikTok is investing $2.3 million in ad credits to support 31 mental health organizations across 22 countries through its Mental Health Education Fund. This funding, combined with TikTok’s training resources, will enable these organizations to create more engaging and informative mental health content.
In the United States, beneficiaries of the fund include the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, Koko, Crisis Text Line, Peer Health Exchange, and Active Minds. These organizations provide education, support, and digital mental health interventions to youth and adults.
Since its launch in 2023, the Mental Health Education Fund has helped participating organizations achieve over 173 million impressions, gain more than 600,000 new followers, generate over 200,000 website visits, and recruit 486 new volunteers. The fund has distributed a total of $7.3 million in donations.
Johanna S. Kandel, Founder and CEO of the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, praised TikTok’s impact: “TikTok has transformed our reach, connecting us with over 44 million people and raising awareness about eating disorders. This visibility has translated into real-world support for individuals and families in need.”
Jessica Mayorga, Chief Marketing Officer of Active Minds, said: “We plan to use TikTok’s ad credits to launch evergreen mental health campaigns that emphasize the importance of mental health breaks and increase awareness of our resources. This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to encourage young people to prioritize their well-being.”
TikTok’s continued investment in mental health education and user well-being demonstrates its commitment to leveraging its platform for positive social impact. These efforts are part of broader community initiatives that also include charitable campaigns, STEM education promotion, and support for missing children alerts.
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