The key to happiness? Marriage...and enough sleep

 

By PAUL SIMS Last updated at 22:00pm on 7th January 2007

 

Married couples are happier than singletons, a Government study has revealed.

The survey, which tried to define what gives us a 'sense of wellbeing', also found that a good night's sleep and 'more time spent socialising' are linked to contentment, as is being of average height and weight.

And luckily for Britons, it seems most of us can smile through a light drizzle but heavier rainfall can cause depressive symptoms.

'Extreme weather is detrimental to happiness,' the study concludes. Not surprisingly, so too is being dumped, getting the sack and living in a heavily polluted area.

Those who take the time to chat over the fence to their neighbours, have plenty of sex in a stable relationship and care about endangered species also tend to be happier, researchers found.

Activities such as gardening, praying and going for walks are also linked to happiness, according to the study. It also revealed that having children or being well educated does not necessarily increase contentment.

The attempt to quantify wellbeing is part of a move by all the main political parties to go beyond financial measures of happiness in setting policy targets.

Ministers hoped the review of international research by the Whitehall Wellbeing Working Group would identify new ways of making citizens more cheerful.

The report's author said yesterday that although the evidence on wellbeing could be assessed, the practical implications for policy were harder to identify.

'It's shown that married people are happier - so what does that mean for politics?' said Paul Dolan, professor of economics at Imperial College in London.

'Does it follow that we should be encouraging people to marry? Is that the realm of politics...or something that should be left to individual choice?'

Mr Dolan's next task for the Government is to draw up a reliable 'happiness unit'.

Oh God! :sick:

 

 

 

 

 

I do feel a bit sad though..

Oh God! :sick:

 

 

 

 

 

I do feel a bit sad though..

 

Because you're not married, due to a lack of sleep.................... or both??:thinking:

So maybe it's suggesting you should marry someone really boring??:rolleyes:

Oh No!

 

Honestly, I don't feel like I would ever get married though..

Oh No!

 

Honestly, I don't feel like I would ever get married though..

 

Me neither. Don't see the point, really.................................. :rolleyes: