Pakistanis get up before sunrise

PESHAWAR: Majority rise in morning before sunrise in their daily life. According to a recent survey by Gallup Pakistan 68% of urban and 83% of rural Pakistani men and women said they generally rise in the morning before the sunrise. The survey was done when the sun rose around 7 am. For their sleeping time nearly half (47%) of urban Pakistani adults said they generally went to bed by 10 p.m, whereas in the rural areas 70% gave this answer. The survey which was conducted among more than 1500 statistically selected households all over the country showed interesting variations across gender and age in addition to the variation between the rising and retiring habits of urban and rural areas. Marketing research analysts at Gallup say a study of rising and retiring habits helps them understand the media habits of rural and urban TV viewers and radio listeners. Besides this study gives an insight into various issues relating to working hours, transportation and some key health and hygiene issues, including such basic lifestyle matters as timing and space for latrines. This is especially true for rural areas but in the crowded urban housing conditions as well. The findings of this survey further show that there are variations across age groups. Sixty-five percent (65%) of those above the age of 50 said they rose before 6 in the morning, 29% said they rose between 6 and 7 in the morning and only 6% said they rose after sunrise. Among the under 30 the comparable figures were 34% before 6, 34% between 6 and 7, 19% between 7 and 8 and 13% of the youth said they generally rose after 8 in the morning. Among women the 6 to 7 time seemed most popular: 48% of them said they woke up during that hour. Interestingly more women than men said they stayed up until after midnight: 20% of women and 8% of men gave that answer in the national sample. Gallup intends to repeat this survey in the summer months to see the seasonal variations in rising and retiring patterns of rural and urban Pakistanis. The survey was conducted by Gallup Pakistan, the Pakistani affiliate of Gallup International among more than 1500 statistically selected men and women in both urban and rural areas of all the four provinces of Pakistan. The sample comprised a cross section of various income, education and geographic segments.