Turks Sleep the Most, Dedicating Nearly 9 Hours Daily; Gender Roles Emerge in Time Allocation

A recent "Time Use" survey conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) reveals that people in Turkey prioritize sleep, dedicating an average of 8 hours and 55 minutes per day to rest. This finding positions sleep as the activity consuming the most time among individuals aged 10 and above.

The survey also highlighted significant gender disparities in daily activities. Men allocate more time to employment-related tasks, averaging 5 hours and 41 minutes daily for working individuals. Conversely, women spend considerably more time on household and family care, averaging 4 hours and 3 minutes daily for those aged 15 and above. This contrasts sharply with men's average of 58 minutes dedicated to similar caregiving responsibilities.

In terms of leisure and personal pursuits, the survey indicated that sports and outdoor activities receive the least amount of time, with an average of just 12 minutes per day. This is followed by hobbies and games (26 minutes) and volunteer work and meetings (37 minutes). The data also points to a decline in media consumption, with the rate of reading newspapers and magazines dropping from 39.4% to 20.1% over the last decade.

Younger age groups, particularly those aged 10-14, dedicate more time to sleep, education, hobbies, and sports. Meanwhile, social life and entertainment activities are most prominent among the 15-24 age group. Older individuals, aged 55 and above, spend the most time watching television, listening to radio and music, and attending volunteer work and meetings.