During a recent chat with Audacy, Zedd opened up about the lifestyle changes he made while making his latest album, that he views as useful tools to help him maintain his mental health.

“I honestly think I would have never finished this album if it wasn’t for me finding a lifestyle and routine that keeps me sane," Zedd revealed. Sharing that "making this album was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. I have not felt this burnt out in a long time.”

Talking about his routine, Zedd shared it started with “taking care of my physical health.” Noting that he “stopped drinking,” before amending that he drinks “occasionally,” as opposed to his past habit of drinking “at every show.” Another part of Zedd’s new routine includes getting “at least 9 hours of sleep every night,” writing down “every calorie I drank or ate into a spreadsheet and made sure to stay in a caloric deficit when I needed to, and in a surplus when I needed to.”

"Then one of the most important things… especially when you’re in a time crunch to finish something, is to not work to much," Zedd said. Admitting "this sounds a little bit counter intuitive and some people think you just gotta grind through it." In his opinion, "when you do anything that is creative you’re mental state is so crucial, it will feed everything else. So I made my studio chunks short enough every day, to where I could actually be excited to continue working on the thing that I didn’t get to finish yesterday.”

“After dinner, no more music,” Zedd said of the studio time boundaries he set for himself, noting “of course it happens sometimes, but after dinner I would stop making music and I would play video games with the boys.” Adding, “We get into Discord and we start gaming, or just talking for a few hours before bed, and that’s sort of my wind down.”

Zedd went on to say, “I think having lots of sleep, lots of workout,” noting the latter as “another crucial thing,” along with “ice baths every morning”… “Starting my days with that and just getting healthy improved my mental state a lot. And being well rested and inspired is what contributed to me making the most honest album that I’ve ever made, it’s because I felt like myself.”

Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.

Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Mike Adam