If you’re a TikTok user who is under 18 and still browsing after 10 p.m., you may soon see your feed disrupted — not by another trending dance, but by a guided meditation.
On Thursday, TikTok introduced a new functionality called “Meditation in Sleep Hours,” designed to encourage young users to unwind in the evening. As per the company’s blog, this feature will be accessible to all users, but it will be automatically activated for those between the ages of 13 and 17 (accounts for users younger than 13 are not permitted).
“If a teen opts to use TikTok post 10 p.m., their For You feed will be disrupted by a guided meditation session to assist them in relaxing and preparing for slumber,” the company stated. “If they persist in using the app after the initial prompt, a second, more challenging-to-dismiss full-screen alert will appear.”
Adults also have the option to activate this feature by turning on “Sleep Hours” in the app’s Screen Time settings.
It remains to be seen whether teens will genuinely engage with the meditations. During trials, TikTok found that 98% of teen users had the meditation feature enabled — though this does not necessarily indicate they took part in the sessions. This initiative is part of a wider discussion on what is essential for teens to enhance their mental well-being.
This new addition is part of TikTok’s ongoing endeavor to tackle rising concerns regarding the platform’s effects on teenage mental health and to encourage healthier screen time practices. The company has been under increasing scrutiny, including a lawsuit claiming it prioritized profit over user safety by promoting an “addictive algorithm.” In reaction, TikTok has introduced a variety of parental controls and screen time restrictions for teens, which were launched in March 2025, enabling parents to oversee usage and manage who can follow their children’s accounts.
Recent statistics highlight the urgency of these initiatives. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey indicated that 45% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 reported that social media has a negative impact on their sleep, while 40% stated it hinders their productivity. Another Pew study conducted the same year indicated that nearly half of teens are “almost constantly” online, with TikTok ranking among the most favored platforms — utilized by approximately 60% of teens.
Moreover, it is not only teens who are impacted. A 2022 study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine revealed that 80% of Americans admitted to sacrificing sleep due to late-night social media activity. Among Gen Z, this figure rises to 93%.
In addition to rolling out the meditation feature, TikTok announced a donation of $2.3 million in advertising credits from its Mental Health Education Fund to 31 mental health organizations, including Crisis Text Line, the Alliance for Eating Disorders, and Active Minds.
Ironically, TikTok is already a hub for a vibrant community of mindfulness creators, many of whom provide meditation guidance and mental wellness advice. This new feature may help highlight those resources — particularly when users need them the most.