The Philippines has earned the top spot in a recent study by Australian company Onebed, which found that Filipinos lose the most sleep due to television consumption—particularly reality TV. While this might seem like just another statistic, it speaks volumes about the way entertainment has reshaped our daily lives, often at the expense of rest.
The numbers paint a concerning picture. Filipinos who prioritize shows over sleep average just 6 hours and 8 minutes of rest per night, well below the recommended seven to nine hours for optimal health.
The study also revealed that late-night TV searches in the country are at a staggering 408.91 per million people. It’s easy to dismiss these figures as mere quirks of modern entertainment culture, but they point to a growing issue: our collective struggle to disconnect.
Other countries in the study show similar patterns. South Korea ranked second, with 83.5 percent streaming reality TV, averaging 6 hours and 2 minutes of sleep while watching from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Indonesia placed third, with 96 percent streaming, the longest viewing window from 4:00 p.m. to midnight, and 6 hours of sleep. It recorded a late-night TV score of 90 and a composite score of 95.13.
Japan ranked fourth, with residents sleeping just 5 hours and 52 minutes—the shortest among all countries. Their peak TV time is 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., driving high late-night TV search volume.
The U.S. ranked fifth, with Americans watching from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., averaging 7 hours and 6 minutes of sleep. They had the highest late-night TV search volume and Netflix subscriptions at 19.31 percent.
Saudi Arabia followed, with 96.3 percent streaming and 6 hours and 2 minutes of sleep. Israel ranked seventh, averaging 6 hours and 36 minutes of sleep and watching from 8:00 p.m. to 11:20 p.m.
Brazil placed eighth, with 97.6 percent streaming and 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep. Taiwan followed, with 93.4 percent streaming and 6 hours and 21 minutes of sleep.
Canada ranked tenth, with 90.5 percent streaming, 7 hours and 11 minutes of sleep, and the second-highest late-night TV search volume and Netflix subscription rate at 16.86 percent.
It’s tempting to brush off these statistics as part of modern life—after all, streaming services are designed to keep us hooked. The autoplay feature, the cliffhangers, the social pressure to keep up with trending shows—everything about the way we consume entertainment encourages excess. But at what cost?
