New data from ŌURA suggests that residents of the UAE may be getting less sleep than much of the world, but they are sleeping better. According to ŌURA UAE: The State of Sleep report, UAE-based Oura Members average just 6.85 hours of sleep per night, yet rank among the most efficient sleepers globally, with an impressive sleep efficiency score of 85.7 per cent.

At first glance, the numbers appear counterintuitive. With average bedtimes just after midnight and wake-up times close to 8am, the UAE sits firmly among the world’s latest-to-bed nations. But rather than signalling poor habits, the data tells a more nuanced story. The country has the highest proportion of late-evening chronotypes globally — people whose biological clocks naturally favour later nights — suggesting many residents are sleeping in alignment with their internal rhythms rather than forcing early schedules.

This alignment matters. Research increasingly links circadian misalignment to long-term health risks, and the UAE’s sleep profile points to a population working with its biology, not against it. While countries such as Finland, the UK and the US may clock more total sleep hours, they consistently fall short on quality markers like REM sleep, deep sleep and overall efficiency.

Gender differences also stand out. Women in the UAE sleep nearly half an hour longer than men on average and demonstrate stronger sleep efficiency and more consistent REM patterns — echoing global research that shows women often adopt more stable recovery behaviours. In a region where ambition, productivity and late nights are cultural norms, this signals a growing prioritisation of health, particularly among women.

The takeaway? Sleep quantity alone doesn’t tell the full story. In the UAE, quality reigns supreme — proof that restorative rest isn’t about rigid routines, but about understanding your body and designing life around it. In a world obsessed with doing more, sleeping smarter may be the ultimate luxury.