Midday Napping (Qailulah) Habits and Perceived Stress Levels Among Muslim Adults in Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia

Midday napping (Qailulah) is one of the most recent concepts whose effects on stress have been examined in the literature, and it holds a significant place in Islamic culture as a practice (Sunnah) recommended by Prophet Muhammad. The present study was conducted to examine midday napping habits and religious beliefs related to midday napping of Muslim adults from Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia, as well as the association between midday napping and perceived stress. A multi-national descriptive online survey-based study involving Muslim adults (N = 1157) was administered using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10). It was seen that 16.8% of the participants took everyday midday naps, with 63.5% of them preferring midday naps for stress management. In addition, 77.2% of the participants had knowledge of Islamic knowledge regarding midday napping, and 86.1% of them thought that this religious knowledge contributes to midday napping. In multiple linear regression analysis, living in Türkiye, being in the 18-30 age group, having a sleep disorder diagnosis, going to sleep after 2 AM, taking midday naps for more than 60 min, and taking midday naps for stress management were associated with higher perceived stress levels in the Muslim population (p < 0.05). On the other hand, being male, waking up before 7 AM, and thinking that midday napping positively affected stress management were associated with lower perceived stress levels (p < 0.05). In order to strengthen the evidence base for these findings, it is recommended that the impact of midday naps on stress management be evaluated through randomized controlled trials that consider factors such as religious adherence and cultural influences.