The happiness trifecta: sex, friends and living close to work

Decades of research into happiness from around the world was analysed to come up with the results, which found Northern European countries Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Iceland had the highest numbers of cheerful people.

But what if you can’t move to Scandinavia? Never mind! The study found the most influential happiness factors were much easier to attain: spending time with family and friends, having regular sex, and cutting down travel time to work (and meetings with your boss).

The report said money can technically make you happy, because richer countries were found to be happier than poor countries. But wealth was by no means the most important factor.

"Other things matter more: community trust, mental and physical health, and the quality of governance and rule of law," the report said.

Author of You Can Choose to Be Happy Tom G. Stevens, PhD, said the key to happiness is to proactively choose it.

"For example, reprogram your beliefs and values. Learn good self-management skills, good interpersonal skills, and good career-related skills. Choose to be in environments and around people that increase your probability of happiness," he said.

Do you have the happiness trifecta of friends, sex and living close to work? We’re talking about it right now on Facebook and Twitter.

By Erin Van Der Meer