Three out of four people in Hong Kong said they do not sleep well, with many of them agreeing that taking naps on a bus are better than on a bed, a survey found.

A total of 704 people shared their sleep status in an online survey from local media group ESDlife in March. About 74 percent of those surveyed said they were troubled by poor sleep, blaming stress, electronic devices, a lack of exercise, irregular sleeping hours and an unsatisfactory sleeping environment — too bright or too noisy — as the main causes.

Plagued by the above problems, 83 percent of the survey’s participants said they did not get enough sleep.

The survey also found that 76 percent of interviewees had caught up on sleep when taking public transportation, and 40 percent of those people said they believe that the seats in buses or trains are more comfortable for sleeping on than their own beds. The reasons for sleeping on a vehicle include being comfortable with its rocking motions, good seats, and its air-conditioning systems.

About 42 percent of respondents said they fall asleep within five minutes on public transportation.

Psychiatrist Raymond Wong Ka-yau said the average time for people who get enough sleep to nod off is 10 to 15 minutes. It is a warning sign of insufficient sleep if a person falls asleep too quickly or feels comfortable sleeping in places outside their own beds, Wong said.

The survey shows that some respondents have tried to improve the quality of their sleep by changing their habits, reducing the use of electronic products and drinking less coffee. Wong said people who have sleeping problems can also try regulating their melatonin — a hormone that helps adjust their physiological clock — to get sufficient sleep.

Contact the writer at fangxue@chinadailyhk.com