How to be happier

It’s 2017, we have more than we've ever had before and technology continues to make our lives easier in ways we could never have imagined when we were younger. However, research suggests that adults over the age of 30 are no happier.

In the 1970s, adults were considerably happier than today. Why is that? What has changed?

This feature looks at what being happy means and suggests that happiness lies mostly within our control. According to this article, even the smallest of actions, such as a warm bath or a long-anticipated cup of tea, can contribute to our overall happiness.

So, what can we do to inject some more happiness into our lives?

There is no secret formula to happiness. Indeed it means different things to different people. If you’re on a mission to become happier, there's a lot of advice to be gleaned from the habits and routines of happy people. It may sound too simplistic to say that they just choose to be happy, but attitude to life is a large part of it.

This article asks people to share their thoughts and tips on how to be happier and is an interesting read.

Make a list

A good way to start your journey to happiness is to write a list of the things you like to do in life – the things that make you smile and that speak to your soul. This can be anything from painting your toenails to playing with pets – or random acts of kindness to strangers. This article is a great starting point. Once you become happier, you won’t need the list, you will intuitively be drawn towards – and make time for – the things that make you happier, but it definitely helps to have a framework to start off with.

Healthy body / happy mind-set

The NHS suggests that in order to gain greater happiness, we need to give our bodies the respect they deserve. Cutting down on the booze, eating a healthy diet and taking more exercise, all help us manage stress, which contributes to our overall happiness. Check out this NHS webpage for more information.

Sleep makes us smile

Getting enough sleep also helps, giving our mental wellness a boost. When we sleep, our body continues to work, hard. It resets and balances our brain function and fights off anything that threatens our physical health, after a good night’s sleep, we wake up happier and ready to take on the day ahead.


Remember, there is a world of difference between unhappiness and depression. Unhappiness is a sense of dissatisfaction, of being unfulfilled or missing out on enjoyable activities and pastimes. Depression brings with it a sense of despair, that no amount of activity or distraction can fix. If you feel that your unhappiness is more deep rooted, a trip to your GP to discuss your situation may be advisable.