DOES the concept of time become elastic for you during Ramadan? You’re not alone. According to a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Netflix across the Middle East more than three-quarters (78%) of us feel we gain more time during Ramadan.

The poll, which asked residents of KSA, Egypt and UAE about their changing behaviors, looked at how people spend their time differently during the 30 days of Ramadan — from who’s getting the most sleep to their activity and entertainment preferences.

A nation of night owls — more time to do more of what you love:

The longer days can be attributed to later bedtimes: Saudis are also going to sleep the latest out of all three countries polled with the majority of KSA (50%) hitting the pillow on average after 5 a.m. (compared to the UAE getting more beauty sleep with a majority choosing to go to bed before 11 p.m.)

While almost a third of Saudis surveyed (32%) feel they gain 3 extra hours, a whopping 55% agreed to gaining between 2-3 hours daily.

With what feels like a 27 hour day, the majority of Saudis are using this extra time to: 1. pray (70%), 2. spend time with family (58%) and 3. watch TV shows or movies (37%), surpassing other activities such as resting (36%), reading (35%) or shopping (25%).

Comedy is king but history and horror also popular at Ramadan: What KSA is watching

Group watching: Over half of the nation (52%) is watching between 2-3 hours of TV with friends and family each day during Ramadan, with top genres selected being: 1. Comedy, 2. Family / drama 3. History.

Solo viewing: just under half of the Kingdom (48%) is also watching between 2-3 hours of TV and movies alone. Comedy takes up top spot but Saudis are also hungry for horror, with the genre placing third most popular amongst those polled.

More time for great stories: One thousand and one episodes:

The later nights and longer days also correlate with Netflix viewership trends during Ramadan. In 2017, Netflix users in the region watched more and later with the peak window extending to 2 a.m. – 5 a.m.

Storytelling has always been an integral part of Arabic culture. Similar to Scheherazade, the captivating storyteller in One Thousand and One Nights, Netflix is celebrating the universal love of storytelling this Ramadan to give viewers the opportunity to enjoy ‘one more’.

With Netflix viewers gaining up to 90 extra hours of viewing time during Ramadan. To put this into perspective, that’s the equivalent of:

— 180 x 30 minute shows, which will see you through to episode 10 in series 8 of Friends — ‘The one with Monica’s boot’

— 60 x 90 minute movies;

— 70+ stand up comedy shows from some of the greats like Chris Rock or Jerry Seinfeld;

During the Holy Month Netflix will also release a variety of new content as well as other family friendly content including - please see notes to editors for the full list.

Survey methodology and references

The sample was achieved using YouGov’s proprietary online panel conducted between April 17 to 25, 2018 based on the following sample:

• 1,548 panelists have completed the survey

• Of these, 499 were from UAE and KSA each and 550 were from Egypt.

• The sample is representative of online population aged 18 and above, in all the three countries. It covers all social groups, men and women living in the region.

New on Netflix this Ramadan:

A sample of new content coming to the service this May (more to follow in June):

The Rain; Unbreakable: Kimmy Schmidt; A Little Help with Carol Burnett; Forgive us our Debts; Sarah’s Notebook; John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous Live at Radio City; The 100; The Walk. The Week Of; Cargo; Dear White People – Season 2; Bill Nye Saves the World – Season 3, Troll Hunter – Season 3.

Netflix is the world's leading Internet entertainment service with over 109 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. — SG