Six hours sleep a night plus...

A good night's sleep is just one of the many secrets of happiness, according to new research

The secret to a happy life is six hours sleep a night, a 20 minute commute and two hours a day playing with the children, according to a new study.

Experts examined the lifestyles of 4,000 adults and found those who were happiest in life work just over seven hours a day, enjoy five home cooked meals a week and jet off on two holidays a year.
They also head out once a week with their friends, watch three episodes of their favourite soap opera and exercise four times a week.
A spokesman for dairy company Yeo Valley, which commissioned the research, said: 'Brits aren't after expensive holidays or fast cars to make them happy,
but the simpler things in life.
'Uninterrupted sleep, quality time with the kids and partner were all deemed really important.
'Our lives are busier than ever so managing to fit in a home-cooked meal, catching our favourite soap or gym session can help keep us smiling.
SECRETS OF A HAPPY LIFE



Uninterrupted sleep 6hrs 15mins

Commute to work 20mins

Home-cooked meals a week 5
Exercise a week 2hrs 45mins

Time spent outdoors 2hrs 49mins

Time with children 2hrs

Time with partner 3hrs 58mins

Watching TV 2hrs

Nights out a week 1

Alcoholic drinks a week 4

Takeaways a week 1

Weekend breaks a year 3

Holidays abroad 2

Hours at work a day 7hrs 15mins

Meals out a month 3

Shopping trips a month 4

Get home from work 5.42pm


'Straight-forward things like eating organic food, getting through the front door after work at a decent time and spending time outdoors provide us with an all-round balanced life.
'And small treats like takeaways, nights out or the odd weekend away can keep the spark in a relationship and avoids everyday life becoming too mundane.'
The study asked adults aged between 18 and 65 to rate their level of happiness on a scale of one to five.
Those who ranked among the most contented go on four shopping sprees a month, eat four portions of fruit and veg a day and consume four alcoholic drinks a week.
They also spend four hours quality time with their partner each day and arrive home from work at 5.42pm.
It also emerged the formula for a happy life will include at least one night out a week with their partner, girlfriends or friends and one shopping spree a week.
The research found half of British people blame work stresses as the biggest barrier to being completely happy, while four in ten said 'relationship strife' was to blame.
More than half (55 per cent) said they found it 'difficult to achieve a balanced life', and three quarters said spending time with family and friends are key to happiness.