London: Over two thirds or 68 per cent of people globally would like more rest for their well-being, according to the world's largest survey of of its kind carried on over 18,000 people from 134 countries.
 
The survey, led by researchers from Durham University in the UK, also showed that 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.
 
More than 18,000 people from 134 different countries took part in the Rest Test, an online survey to investigate the public's resting habits and their attitudes towards relaxation and busyness.
 
The survey found that those who felt they needed more rest scored lower in terms of well-being.
 
Similarly, those who responded saying they think they get more rest than average or do not feel in need of more rest, had well-being scores twice as high as those who wanted more rest.
 
This suggests that the perception of rest matters, as well as the reality, researchers said.
 
"The survey shows that people's ability to take rest, and their levels of well-being, are related. We're delighted that these findings combat a common, moralising connection between rest and laziness," said Dr Felicity Callard, principal investigator on the project.
 
The survey asked people to choose the activities that they find the most restful.
 
The results show that the top five most restful activities are those often done alone: Reading (58 per cent), being in the natural environment (53.1 per cent), being on their own (52.1 per cent), listening to music (40.6 per cent) and doing nothing in particular (40 per cent).
 
"It's intriguing that the top activities considered restful are frequently done on one's own. Perhaps it's not only the total hours resting or working that we need to consider, but the rhythms of our work, rest and time with and without others," Callard said.
 
The results of the survey come at a time when the urge to be busy defines modern life and the topic of rest is at the forefront of many people's minds.
 
Rest can seem hard to find, whether in relation to an exhausted body, a racing mind or a hectic city, researchers said.
 
Rest is a much broader category than sleep and has physical, mental and spiritual components. But much less is known about the potentially restorative benefits of res -in part because it means different things to different people.
 
The survey asked respondents to state how many hours rest they had within the last 24 hours. The results showed that, on average, being younger and having a higher household income was associated with having fewer hours of rest.