Prayer and rest are the top ways Filipinos cope with stress, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The nationwide survey, conducted from September 24 to 30, 2025, involved 1,500 participants. Results show that 16% of respondents turn to prayer as their main stress reliever, while 14% said they sleep or rest to ease stress.
Other common coping methods include going out or traveling (11%), thinking positive (7%), continuing work or studies (6%), and ignoring the problem (6%).
Meanwhile, exercise and spending time with family both registered 5%, showing that fewer Filipinos rely on physical activity or family bonding as stress outlets.
Less popular methods include playing online games, listening to music, watching TV, and eating, each garnering 4%.
The survey also highlighted several coping mechanisms that ranked the lowest among respondents:
- Using social media – 2%
- Drinking alcohol – 2%
- Gardening or farming – 1%
- Smoking – 1%
- Crying – 0.4%
- Seeking medical attention – 0.2%
The findings reflect how many Filipinos tend to rely on faith and rest as emotional anchors, preferring quiet and personal ways of dealing with stress over social or recreational outlets.