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Seoul folk eating more, sleeping less

Citizens in Seoul are spending more time eating and caring about beauty and health, but less time sleeping compared to 2004, a report showed yesterday.

According to the report by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, citizens in the capital last year spent a daily average of 1 hour and 54 minutes eating and 1 hour and 20 minutes dealing with beauty and health issues. The numbers mark an increase from 2004, when time spent on the same tasks stood at 1 hour and 42 minutes and 1 hour and 3 minutes, respectively.

But when it comes to shut-eye, Seoul residents slept 7 hours and 31 minutes a night, three minutes shorter than in 2004, the report showed.

The report was based on an analysis of a survey of 2,610 Seoul residents aged 10 or older that was conducted last year by Statistics Korea.

The report also showed that Seoulites spent a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes for essential daily activities such as sleeping, eating and washing; 8 hours and 48 minutes on working, studying and commuting; and 4 hours and 28 minutes on leisure activities.

The time spent on labor-study and leisure activities were reduced by 8 and 17 minutes, respectively, the report said.

Of the labor-study activities, 3 hours and 48 minutes were spent on work that generated income, 1 hour and 45 minutes on housekeeping, 1 hour and 21 minutes on studying and 1 hour and 54 minutes on transportation, including commuting.

Citizens watched television for 1 hour and 27 minutes on average a day last year, 13 minutes less than in 2004. The time invested in reading print media was 7 minutes last year, the same level as in 2004. But the share of newspaper subscribers dropped 1 percentage point to 17.1 percent, according to the report.

Yonhap