How to make British people happy

Sleep quality and sex life satisfaction are the most important factors in making British people happy, according to a new study.

The latest Sainsbury’s Living Well Index, based on a survey of more than 8,000 people, found that “feeling like you have enough time” was also key, along with sitting down to eat with other people.

However, the nation’s overall happiness have dropped by 0.5 points, to 60.7 out of a maximum 100, in the months since the previous index, in September 2017.

Debt, concerns about the cost of living, cold weather and public transport delays are among the factors that contributed to the lower score, according to the report, created in partnership with researchers Oxford Economics and the National Centre for Social Research.

“It stands to reason that we all feel happier in the summer months, but the analysis suggests this is partly because we socialise more and spend more time outside, which we’re less able to do in winter," said Ian Mulheirn, director of consulting at Oxford Economics.

“And in an age of unprecedented digital distraction, it appears that real, human connections are far more beneficial to our well-being than the connections we make online.”

You can take a simplified version of the Living Well survey to see how your score compares with the national average.