Humans' well-being lies in resting more!

Zee Media Bureau

London: There's good news for those who feel tired all the time and persistently demand rest. Turns out you're asking for the right thing. Why? Your long-term well-being depends on it, for one thing.

The world's largest survey of more than 18,000 people from 134 different countries on this topic, over two thirds (68 per cent) of the public, is testimony to the fact that humans need more rest.

Nearly a third (32 per cent) of respondents said they need more rest than the average person, while 10 per cent think they need less, the survey concluded.

"The survey shows that people's ability to take rest, and their levels of well-being, are related. These findings combat a common, moralising connection between rest and laziness," said lead researcher Felicity Callard, social scientist at Durham University in Britain.

Rest – a much broader category than sleep – has physical, mental and spiritual components, the study said.

The online survey – rest test – found that those who felt they needed more rest scored lower in terms of well-being.

This suggests that the perception of rest matters, as well as the reality, the researchers observed.

On average, being younger and having a higher household income was associated with having fewer hours of rest.

Further, those with caring responsibilities or in shift work which included nights also reported fewer hours of rest.

The survey was presented during BBC Radio 4's programme – The Anatomy of Rest.

(With IANS inputs)