Prayer is top stress coping mechanism for Filipinos, SWS survey shows

A recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found that praying is the most preferred coping mechanism among Filipinos when dealing with stress.

The survey of 1,500 adult Filipinos indicated that 16% of respondents turn to prayer or spiritual activities to manage stress.

Following prayer, resting or sleeping was the second most common method, cited by 14% of participants, while going out was reported by 11%.

Other popular coping strategies include thinking positively, focusing on school or work, and ignoring problems.

Activities like spending time with family and exercising or walking were each mentioned by 5% of Filipinos.

Less common stress-relief methods include browsing social media, drinking alcohol, gardening, smoking, crying, and seeking medical help.

Women (20%) are more likely to pray to cope with stress compared to men (12%).

While praying is the top method in Balance Luzon and Metro Manila, resting or sleeping is preferred in Mindanao and the Visayas.

The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews from September 24 to 30, 2025, with a sampling error margin of ±3% for national percentages.