Survey finds Asians stay up late

SINGAPORE, March 6 (UPI) -- A survey of global sleeping habits has found that Asians tend to be night owls, the Straits Times of Singapore reported Sunday.

The A.C. Nielsen Internet poll found that seven of the 10 countries with the latest average bedtime are in Asia, while the other three are Italy, Spain and Portugal, Mediterrenean countries known for midday siestas and late dinner hours. Singapore ranked seventh, with 50 percent of those polled reporting that they stay up after midnight and about one-quarter still awake at 1 a.m.

Two countries where residents believe in a good night's sleep are Australia, where 24 percent said they are in bed by 10 p.m., and New Zealand. In Australia, 31 percent get at least 9 hours of sleep a night, while in New Zealand 28 percent do.

Indonesians are among the earliest risers with 90 percent awake and active by 7 a.m. But more than one quarter of Taiwanese report that they are still in bed at 9 a.m.