Where does your city rank is for the welfare? (List)

happiness song

Provo-Orem, Utah came first with a score of 71.4 on the Gallup-Healthways Index welfare; while Huntington-Ashland (covering parts of West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio) occurred in the past, with a score of 59.5, according to the research results. [Read the full article on the results of the welfare of the question]

The welfare of a city based on six different measures of life for people: emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviors, access to basic needs, working environment (such as job satisfaction), and a self-assessment the present and future life.

This is the complete list of metropolitan areas ranked for their well-being scores (from a maximum of 100 points):happiness song

Provo-Orem, UT: 71.4

Boulder, CO: 71.3

Fort Collins-Loveland, CO: 71.1

Honolulu, HI: 70.7

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: 70.6

Ann Arbor, MI: 70.4

Naples-Marco Island, Florida: 70.4

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA: 70.4

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 70.2

Lincoln, NE: 70.1

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 70.1

Bellingham, WA: 70

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: 69.7

Portland-Portland-Biddeford, ME: 69.7

Billings, MT 69.6

Madison, WI: 69.6

Barnstable Town, MA: 69.5

Denver-Aurora, CO: 69.5

Raleigh-Cary, NC: 69.4

Burlington-South Burlington, VT: 69.3

Lancaster, PA: 69.3

Sioux Falls, South Dakota: 9.3

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH: 69.1

Bremerton-Silverdale, WA: 69.1

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: 69.1

Holland Grand Haven, MI: 69.1

Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA: 69.1

Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA: 69

Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 8.9

Austin-Round Rock, TX: 68.8

Durham, NC: 68.5

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 68.5

Charlottesville, VA: 68.4

Salinas, CA: 68.2

Peoria, IL: 68.1

San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA: 68

Lynchburg, Virginia: 67.9

Salt Lake City, UT: 67.9

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT: 67.8

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA: 67.7

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA: 67.7

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA: 67.6

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA: 67.6

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO: 67.5

Greeley, CO: 67.4

Ogden-Clearfield, UT: 67.4

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA: 67.4

Rochester, New York: 67.4

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, New York: 67.3

Indianapolis-Carmel, IN: 67.2

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ: 67.2

Cedar Rapids, IA: 67.1

Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC: 67.1

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 67.1

Kansas City, MO-KS: 67.1

Norwich-New London, CT: 67.1

Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA: 67.1

Colorado Springs, CO: 67

Columbus, OH: 67

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX: 67

Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida 67

Roanoke, Virginia 67

Baton Rouge, LA 66.9

Duluth, MN-WI: 66.9

Richmond, VA: 66.9

Spokane, WA: 66.9

Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI: 66.8

El Paso, TX: 66.8

Eugene-Springfield, Oregon: 66.8

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT: 66.8

Lansing-East Lansing, MI: 66.8

Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN: 66.8

Reading, PA: 66.8

Reno-Sparks, NV: 66.8

San Antonio, TX: 66.7.happiness song

Tucson, AZ: 66.7

Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, FL: 66.6

Columbia, South Carolina: 66.6

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IL-IA: 66.6

Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, South Carolina: 66.6

Huntsville, AL: 66.6

Sacramento - Arden-Arcade - Roseville, CA: 66.6

Wichita, KS: 66.6

Anchorage, AK: 66.5

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI: 66.5

Lafayette, LA: 66.5

Lexington-Fayette, KY: 66.5

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI: 66.5

Savannah, Georgia: 66.5

Visalia-Porterville, CA: 66.5

Boise City-Nampa, ID: 66.4

Buffalo-Niagara Falls, New York: 66.4

Olympia, WA: 66.4

Medford, Oregon: 66.3

Syracuse, New York: 66.3

Winston-Salem, North Carolina: 66.3

Albuquerque, New Mexico: 66.2

Baltimore-Towson, MD: 66.2

Fresno, CA: 66.2

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 66.2

Pittsburgh, PA: 66.2

Prescott, AZ: 66.2

St. Louis, MO-IL: 66.2

Oklahoma City, OK: 66.1

Port St. Lucie, Florida: 66.1

Vallejo-Fairfield, CA: 66.1

Canton-Massillon, OH: 66

Green Bay, WI: 66

Kalamazoo-Portage, MI: 66

Long Island New Jersey North New York, NY-NJ-PA: 66

Charleston-Summerville-N Charleston, South Carolina: 65.9

Gainesville, FL: 65.9

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC: 65.9

Manchester-Nashua, NH: 65.8

Utica-Rome, New York: 65.8

Yakima, WA: 65.8

Erie, PA: 65.7

Greensboro-High Point, North Carolina: 65.7

Montgomery, AL: 65.7

New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA: 65.7

Ocala, Florida: 65.7

Springfield, MA: 65.6

Worcester, MA: 65.6

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL: 65.5

Tallahassee, Florida: 65.5

Wilmington, North Carolina: 65.5

Akron, OH: 65.4

Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX: 65.4

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA: 65.4

Salem, Oregon: 65.4

Trenton-Ewing, New Jersey: 65.4

Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH: 65.3

Toledo, OH: 65.3

Tulsa, OK: 65.3

Memphis, TN-AR-MS: 65.2

Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL: 65.2

Springfield, MO: 65.2

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL: 65.1

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL: 65.1

Asheville, North Carolina: 65

Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC: 64.9

Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN: 64.9

York-Hanover, PA: 64.9

Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 64.8

Birmingham-Hoover, AL: 64.7

Clarksville, TN-KY: 64.7

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX: 64.7

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida: 64.6

Knoxville, TN: 64.6

Modesto, CA: 64.6

Stockton, CA: 64.6

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL: 64.6

Fort Wayne, IN: 64.5

Little Rock-N Little Rock-Conway, AR: 64.5

New Haven-Milford, CT: 64.5

Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA: 64.5

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ: 64.4

Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI: 64.4

Jacksonville, FL: 64.3

Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, New York: 64.3

Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL: 64.1

Fayetteville, North Carolina: 64.1

64.1:-Jefferson Louisville, KY-IN county

Myrtle Beach North Myrtle Beach-Conway, South Carolina: 64.1

Flint, MI: 63.9

Fort Smith, AR-OK: 63.9

Jackson, MS: 63.9

Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA: 63.8

Topeka, KS: 63.8

Binghamton, NY: 63.7

Corpus Christi, TX: 63.7

Dayton, OH: 63.5

Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 63.5

South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI: 63.3

Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA: 63.3

Rockford, IL: 63.2

Scranton - Wilkes-Barre, PA: 63.2

Bakersfield, CA: 63.1

Chattanooga, TN-GA: 62.9

Evansville, IN-KY: 62.9

Mobile, AL: 62.9

Shreveport-Bossier City 62.9

Columbus, GA-AL: 62.3

Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX: 62.2

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, North Carolina: 62.2

Spartanburg, SC: 62.2

Redding, CA: 62

Charleston, West Virginia: 60

Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH: 59.5

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Hit the sack! People who get a good night's sleep are happier

the happiness trap

Happiness and a good night's sleep seem to go hand in hand, a new survey suggests.

The survey of more than 7,000 US adults found that people who reported sleeping more also higher than those who said they got less sleep wellness.

For example, the average well-being of marks for those who reported getting eight hours of sleep per night was 65.7 out of 100, compared to 64.2 for those who got seven hours of sleep and 59, 4 years for which They received six hours of sleep.

Because the survey was conducted in a moment in time, instead of a long period of study can not say whether more sleep increases welfare or people who have more good -be tend to sleep more.the happiness trap

The researchers, from Gallup and Healthways, scores being calculated based on participants' responses to questions about their sense of purpose, social relations, economic life, community involvement and physical health. [7 tips for sleeping well tonight]

The survey also found that 42 percent of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep per night, which is recommended by the National Sleep Foundation to people aged 18 years minimum.

A number of factors can affect how people get to sleep a lot, including hours of work, family obligations, conditions such as insomnia or poor physical health.

Because the well being of a person is known to be related to their level of commitment at work, employers may consider allowing employees to work more flexible hours to help balance its dream work and family obligations , a statement on the Gallup poll said.

The survey is based on a survey conducted in 2014 between 5 September and 19 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1 percentage point.the happiness trap

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Ashamed? Funny? Humans share dozens of expressions

happiness song

Asking a woman to a remote village in Bhutan to act as if he were embarrassed or intimidated funny, and probably a teenager in America could tell exactly what emotion he portrays.

Humans have dozens of universal expressions of emotions, and they're doing these expressions so recognizable across several cultures, new research shows.

This number is much greater than the range of emotions that is believed to be the same everywhere. [Top 10 things that humans make special]

Common section

For decades, scientists have argued that there are six basic human emotional expressions, all tested in the face - happiness, sadness, disgust, fear, anger and surprise.

But about five years ago, Daniel Cordaro, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley and Yale University, began to wonder if there was more. He spent hours watching people in cafes or download videos from YouTube of children worldwide develop birthday gifts with big smiles on their faces. He noted that despite cultural differences, much more complicated expressions appeared similar in all cultures.happiness song

To test the idea, Cordaro and colleagues showed people from four continents description of a story line (the researchers translated into various Indian languages), as "Your friend just told a very funny story, and you feel amused by it , "or" Friends are surprised to sing aloud to your favorite song, and is embarrassed, "then he asked the participants to act in this emotional state by words.

When researchers shared these emotional reconstructions with people from foreign cultures, viewers could match 30 facial expressions and vocal stories associated with greater accuracy than if they had simply guessed. (Interestingly, expressions of sympathy, the desire and timidity does not seem to translate into all cultures.)

The team also compared the people in China, Japan, Korea, India and the United States when repeat these emotions, then coded 5942 to facial expressions. This meant meticulously recording the positions of 25,000 different facial muscles, Cordaro said.

"We found these incredible reasons: There are many similarities in how people produce these expressions," says Cordardo. "I started to feel for the first time what it was like everybody around me."

(An expression were remarkably similar in all cultures, while others, such as his "special and differential treatment" to react to something cute, are not universal.)

Distant but similar

But most of those studied for the first time in this research belong to the cultures of large related party television, smart phones and other technologies, which means that the examined emotional expressions can not be truly universal.

So Cordaro and colleagues demonstrated in a remote village in Bhutan that foreigners had never visited. The researchers asked the villagers to engage vocal tracks with a story that has been described. For 15 of the 17 vocal expressions, the villagers could choose the position corresponding to the rates that were better than chance.happiness song

The results suggest that much of the human emotional repertoire is universal, and that emotional expressions are beyond the six core previously described by researchers.

But the results should not underestimate the role of culture, Cordaro said.

"Every emotion is reduced to the story," Cordaro said. "The culture teaches us the stories in which we use these emotions, but look below them, there will be an issue."

Epiphany staff

Although basic emotional translation for the villagers of Bhutan, the researchers also came in a Bhutanese word that has no equivalent in English concepts: "chogshay" which loosely translates to a fundamental satisfaction which is independent of the current emotional state of a person .

For example, someone could be in the rage of launches or feel horrible, but its underlying sense of well-being can be still intact.

"Joy is a feeling of being indestructible key resulting from the unconditional acceptance of the present moment," Cordaro said.

Initially, the concept was completely foreign to chogshay Cordaro, used to define welfare in terms of what he had, what he felt and what he was looking for. But through a process of recognition of the universality of many human emotions, and after completing a cycle of Buddhist meditation in Thailand, Cordaro saw chogshay status.

"I felt complete blankness," Cordaro said. "It was the happiest moment of my life."

Different access points

This state of joy may be available to people all the time, but different cultures can focus instead on the emotional states that could expel that awareness, Cordaro speculated.

It is also speculated that people can reach this state in different ways, either through self-reflection, meditation or performing "flow" in very attractive activities.happiness song

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Happiness Key equation reveals the gay life

happy poems

A little fun goes a long way to make people happy, according to a newly developed equation for happiness.

By studying how people react to recent events in their lives, researchers have developed a mathematical formula to predict the happiness of people based on their mood at any moment he swings.

So what is the solution to happiness? It is managing expectations.

The equation shows that people are happier when things are going better than expected, since when study participants exceeded their own expectations in a decision-making task, according to a study published yesterday (August 4) in the magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. [5 Wacky ways to quantify happiness]

Pending a lunch date with friends, find a preferential parking at work, have a young child generally moody shot another time for his nap ... when life exceeds your expectations, make you happy, researchers say . On the other hand, if breakfast is made, your inbox is full of work emails harassment or your child wets the bed, disappointment can quickly sour the mood.

However, in the real world, the study results do not mean that scientists recommend people go through life with low expectations.happy poems

"Emotions are not something we should be afraid," said lead study author Robb Rutledge, a neuroscientist at University College London in the UK. "Happiness and sadness are part of being human. Happiness does not depend on the way things are going well, but whether they are better or worse than expected. This means that happiness can be useful to tell us whether to change what we do. If we are more unhappy than usual, maybe sometimes that means we should try something different. If we are happy, maybe that means that we do things right, "said Rutledge Live Science in an email interview.

For example, if an activity such as checking your email at work in the morning triggers a bad mood for a long time afterwards. Rutledge recommended spacing these unpleasant parts of the day so that your mood does not fall too low. "Also, try to finish the day in something that can be good, so do not come home in a bad mood," he said.

Rutledge and her co-authors first developed the mathematical formula by studying 26 people who were invited to take decisions that led to victories and fixed or risk financial losses. Study participants played the game for money in an fMRI (functional MRI) machine that followed his brain activity. After every few decisions, they were asked to report their level of happiness.

Happiness correlated with activity in two brain regions - the ventral striatum and insula. These two areas are linked by feelings of well-being and ventral striatum help produce dopamine, a brain chemical that transmits signals between cells and is associated with pleasure and desire.

From the results, the researchers developed the equation of happiness, which included variables such as: a factor of forgetfulness, where the latest developments are more influential than the first years of life; a term weight events which will influence on happiness; the average reward of a game if selected; and the reward received less than expected. [Knowing where the happiest (and sad) People live]happy poems

The researchers then crowdsourced the next step. The equation was tested on 18,420 people who played a smartphone game called "The Great Experiment brain." (This scavenger hunt risk-reward is still ongoing, and the application can be downloaded online.) The application also asked people to take risks to win, this time playing for points instead of money. The results showed a consistent relationship between the rewards, expectations and happiness, the researchers found.

Happiness depends more rewards and expectations as the general wealth, he or she has accumulated in the last game of a participant, the results showed. For example, a feeling of happiness comes from the gap between what is expected and what is achieved. A positive differential promotes happiness, while a negative gap causes bad feelings.

"Our themes to make decisions between risk and security options, and often take risks in hopes of getting a better result," Rutledge said. "If they get the best result, which certainly gives them happiness, but happiness is not coming down if they lose. Just as in real life situations, the greatest happiness tends to be after many things went well. The greatest misfortune They tend to be after many things go wrong. These extremes are more likely when people take many risks. "

Finally, the use of the equation to analyze the differences in how people respond to events such as gains and losses in the game of brain research could lead to a better understanding of the mood disorder, researchers said. The team is now testing people with depression to see if the equation can predict the happiness of these people, says Rutledge.

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Happier US metropolitan areas revealed

happy poems

If you are looking to move to a happy place, you may want to check the north of Puerto Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida area: The region reported the highest well-being of the 100 most populous communities in the country according to a new survey.

The five happiest metropolitan areas also included urban Honolulu, Hawaii; Raleigh, North Carolina; Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, California; and El Paso, Texas, according to the Index wellness Gallup-Healthways, a measure based on factors such as feelings of purpose and physical health.

Metropolitan areas with the lowest score being were Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio and Pennsylvania; Toledo, Ohio; and Knoxville, Tennessee, according to the survey. Ohio also had three other communities that ranked in the top 10 for the welfare of Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati. [See the complete list of the happiest metropolitan areas of the United States]

From January to December 2014, Gallup-Healthways researchers conducted telephone interviews with a random sample of more than 176,000 adults living in metropolitan areas in 50 states and the District of Columbia. These areas were defined by the Office of Management and Budget.

Welfare has been calculated on a scale from 0 to 100 (where 0 represents the lowest possible welfare and 100 representing the highest). The measure has been taken into account the welfare, plus five essential elements of wellbeing, including feelings of that day, relationships, financial security, safety and pride in one's community, and physical health.happy poems

The survey revealed great differences between the communities with the highest and lowest scores being. Compared to people living in the most prolific areas, regions lowest score were 55 percent less likely to love what they do every day, and 58 percent more likely to not be proud of their community.

The inhabitants of these "sad" communities also have 35 percent more likely than those who have the greatest being that has experienced food insecurity in the past year, and 32 percent less likely to have someone in their lives, encouraging them to make healthy choices. Residents of low-lying areas of welfare were also 26 percent more likely than those with high welfare areas to be obese and 68 percent more likely to smoke, according to survey results.

Although Puerto North Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida had the highest overall score being not score the highest of any single element of wellbeing. El Paso, Texas, scored highest for both objective and physical wellbeing. Provo-Orem, Utah, was the greater good of the community. Urban Honolulu had the greatest financial wellbeing, and Chattanooga, Tennessee and Georgia had the highest welfare, the results of the survey showed.

However, Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, covering Ohio and Pennsylvania reported the welfare of both the target and the lowest welfare, while Toledo had the lowest welfare community. Residents of Columbia, South Carolina, were being lowest for large financial communities and Knoxville was the physical low.

happy poems

Regional results are consistent with reports of happiness throughout the state, showing that welfare is generally higher in the northern plains, the lowest in the mountainous south west and west, and the Midwest Industrial.

The states with the highest welfare also tend to have lower drug use for relaxation, the survey found.

In general, the inhabitants of the places with greater welfare were more likely to score well on several elements, which probably had a synergistic effect, the researchers said.

"This may reflect what is perhaps the most important factor separating high welfare of the communities in the nation of those who are less well: a holistic vision of being" the researchers said in a statement.happy poems

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This country is the happiest

happy poems

The happiest country are not in the tropics, as expected, but is known for its snowy peaks and delicious chocolate: Switzerland took first place in the World Report 2015 of happiness a ranking of 158 countries by Sustainable Development Network Solutions (SDSN), a network of leaders in academia, government and the private sector, which was launched with the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in 2012 to address sustainable development.

Switzerland is driven by Iceland, Denmark and Norway. The four countries were between 7.5 and 7.6 out of 10 for the welfare and differences in the results are not statistically significant, the researchers said. Rounding out the top 10 happiest countries are Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand and Australia, who scored 7.2 or higher.

The United States placed 15th, with a score of 7.1, according to the report. [See the list of the most and least happy country]

Happiness UN report, published annually since 2012, shows that happiness and well-being are key indicators of economic and social development of a country, SDSN statement. Moreover, the 2015 report, released on Thursday (April 23), serves as a guide and reminder that world leaders should consider the happiness of their citizens when they take political decisions, the UN statement.happy poems

"The aspiration of the company is the development of its members," Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, said in a statement. "This report provides evidence on how to achieve the welfare of society. It is not about money alone, but also for justice, honesty, healthy trustand. The test here will be useful for all countries to pursue new goals sustainable development. "

The results are 2012-2015 Gallup survey data, which included between 2,000 and 3,000 people in each country. Participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with their lives in an imaginary scale, on a scale from 0 (lowest level of the imaginary scale, or the worst possible life) to the next level, 10 or the best life possible.

Most of the differences in happiness between countries could be explained by six factors: the gross domestic product (GDP) levels, life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom and the level of corruption, the researchers found.

Using the survey data, the researchers calculated the scores for each of these six factors in each country. Take life expectancy in Brazil, for example. First, it calculates the time that life expectancy in Brazil in the country with the lowest life expectancy. Next, the researchers multiplied the answer to a life expectancy estimated from all countries.

The result of this calculation is the average amount shows that the overall score of happiness is higher in Brazil because of life expectancy, the researchers said.

After calculating the scores, the researchers found that the welfare of the population, including their emotions and assessments of life are strongly influenced by social norms and institutions. Even find in the neighborhood and at the national level.happy poems

People received top scores of happiness if they reported having the support of family and friends. In neighborhoods and communities better happiness scores were associated with the presence of trust and empathy. Nationally, government power and social norms determine the quality of life.

Social factors improved happiness when they were seated and readily available. These factors also have communities and stronger nations, the researchers said. [7 things that make you happy]

"When considering the value of happiness in today's report, we must invest early in life for our children to grow up to become independent, productive and happy adults, contributing both socially and economically," said Richard Layard, professor London School of Economics and director of the welfare of the school program.

The findings of the new report differ from those of a Gallup poll released in March which found that Paraguay was the happiest of 143 countries. In this study, the researchers focused on Gallup daily positive emotions rather than overall satisfaction with life. In this survey, participants answered questions about how they felt happy the day before the survey.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to show that Sustainable Development Network Solutions has released the report, not the United Nations.happy poems

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The more sex can make you less happy

the happiness trap

If you are looking for an increase in happiness, have more sex may not be your best bet. New research suggests that increasing the frequency of sex can make people less happy in certain circumstances.

The researchers divided the couples into two groups, a group calling for doubling the number of times a week had sexual relations while the control group request to stay the course and have as much sex as they normally would. At the end of three-month study, people who increased their sexual raids were actually less happy than they were at the beginning of the study, the researchers found.

"The results were a surprise and a disappointment," said the study's principal investigator, George Loewenstein, professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. "We expected that those who enjoy sex much more and be happier, and it would be good for the relationship.the happiness trap

"Instead, what we found was that the group that was most appreciated less sex, he wanted less and reported lower levels of happiness," said Loewenstein Live Science.

However, the conclusion does not necessarily mean that more sex makes people unhappy, he said. It could be that it is doomed to have sex puts a damper on it.

"If you do something because you want to or because you are responsible for can have a huge impact on how much you enjoy," Loewenstein said.the happiness trap

Many studies show a relationship between sex and happiness. For example, an analysis of 16,000 American adults found that those who had more sex had high levels of self-reported happiness. Another study found that people who have a more active sex life also reported happier relationships.

But these two studies correlate; it is not known whether sex makes happiness directly, or whether other factors, such as health or personality, are at stake.

Researchers in the new study sought to determine a more direct relationship between sexual frequency and happiness, they said.

They recruited 128 healthy people between the ages of 35 and 65 who were married heterosexual relationships. Participants completed a series of surveys on personality, emotions and sexual behavior at the beginning and end of the study as well as a daily survey to help researchers monitor changes along the study 90 days.

Contrary to expectations Loewenstein, couples who were directed to have more sex reported lower levels by the end of happiness.

However, sex is crucial to any healthy marriage, he said.the happiness trap

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American Falls notes Happiness worldwide

the happiness trap

Panama leads the ranking of the happiest countries in the w

orld for the second consecutive year, according to a new report.

In 2014, people living in the Central American country known for its artificial channel obtained the highest in an annual survey of the world being created by Gallup-Healthways. However, Afghanistan marked the lowest of the 145 countries ranked.

In the survey, the researchers asked more than 146,000 people worldwide about issues five aspects of their being: their sense of purpose, social relationships, financial situations, community participation and health physics. Based on their responses, participants were considered "successful", "bad" or "suffering" in each of these five aspects.

In Panama, 53 percent of residents were on the rise in at least three aspects of your being - the highest percentage of all countries surveyed. Part of the reason above Panamanian maybe people there, and Latin America in general, tend to report more often experience positive emotions and less negative emotions, as compared to d other parts of the world, said Dan Witters, director Research Gallup-Healthways. Panama has also been a growth in the economy in 2014, and is relatively stable politically.the happiness trap

Other countries in the top 10 ranked by the percentage of people who were thriving in three or more dimensions of welfare, were:

Costa Rica: 47.6 percent

Puerto Rico: 45.8 percent

Switzerland: 39.4 percent

Belize: 38.9 percent

Chile: 38.7 percent

Denmark: 37.0 percent

Guatemala: 36.3 percent

Austria: 35.6 percent

Mexico: 35.6 percent

The ranking countries, Afghanistan had 0 percent of residents who thrive in at least three aspects of his welfare, according to the findings. Other countries at the bottom of the ranking include:

Bhutan: 3 percent

Cameroon: 3.1 percent

Togo: 3.9 percent

Tunisia: 4.0 percent

Congo - Kinshasa: 4.1 percent

Ivory Coast: 4.5 percent

Benin: 4.8 percent

Haiti: 5.3 percent

Ghana: 5.6 percent

The United States has declined in the rankings, from No. 12 in 2013 to number 23 in 2014. However, there was only a small absolute change welfare score in the country - it's down to having 33 percent of its inhabitants They thrive in three or more dimensions of welfare in 2013 to 30 percent in 2014.the happiness trap

"In general, the welfare of the decrease was not significant, but it was enough to lower [the United States] in a list of 145 countries," Witters said. [The happiest countries (list) of the world]

For cultural reasons, there may be differences between countries in how people interpret the questions in the Gallup survey, the researchers noted. However, Gallup takes a series of measures to reduce the effects of poor performance, including problems of translation to be as close to the original meaning as possible, and make face to face on the phone, instead of using a survey of paper, Witters said.

To some extent, the level of wealth of a country is correlated with welfare, but this is true only to a point, Witters said. For example, Guatemala is a poor country, but scored in the top 10 in the general welfare, he said.

Wellness is an important measure to consider, since studies show that people with more welfare are healthier, more productive and more resistant to challenges, says Gallup.

"Many countries are struggling to achieve high welfare. This represents a great opportunity for countries and community leaders, employers, insurers and to any worker in the health of the population," said Peter Choueiri, President of Healthways International . "There are interventions that these leaders can and should help improve the health and welfare of its population has shown" Choueiri said.

For example, community organizations can create opportunities or marathons volunteering and encourage people to participate, Witters said. Employers could also find ways to convince people to be healthier, incentives such as health insurance, or replacement of unhealthy food in the dining room of healthy food, he said.

"There are many smart tactical things that organizations can do that can help create this culture of health" Witters said.the happiness trap

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The happiest country (list)

the happiness trap

How happy is your country? A new report used interviews with more than 146,000 people worldwide to rank 145 countries for the welfare of its residents.

The participants answered questions on five aspects of their being: their sense of purpose, social relationships, financial situation, community involvement and physical health. Based on their responses, participants were considered "successful", "bad" or "suffering" in each of these five aspects.the happiness trap

This is the complete list of rankings, in order that the proportion of people who were thriving in three or more dimensions of welfare:the happiness trap

Rank	Country	2014 Thriving in 3+ Elements
1	Panama	53.0%
2	Costa Rica	47.6%
3	Puerto Rico	45.8%
4	Switzerland	39.4%
5	Belize	38.9%
6	Chile	38.7%
7	Denmark	37.0%
8	Guatemala	36.3%
9	Austria	35.6%
10	Mexico	35.6%
11	Uruguay	35.5%
12	Argentina	33.6%
13	Colombia	33.4%
14	Kyrgyzstan	33.4%
15	Brazil	33.2%
16	Norway	32.0%
17	Netherlands	31.9%
18	El Salvador	31.9%
19	Turkmenistan	31.7%
20	Myanmar	31.7%
21	United Arab Emirates	30.8%
22	Israel	30.7%
23	United States	30.5%
24	Canada	30.2%
25	Luxembourg	30.2%
26	Sweden	29.1%
27	Saudi Arabia	28.5%
28	Germany	28.0%
29	New Zealand	27.9%
30	Venezuela	27.7%
31	Bahrain	27.6%
32	Mauritania	27.3%
33	Nicaragua	27.3%
34	Dominican Republic	26.9%
35	Honduras	26.4%
36	Ireland	26.3%
37	Finland	26.2%
38	Bolivia	25.9%
39	Ecuador	25.9%
40	Australia	25.3%
41	Malaysia	24.6%
42	Malta	24.4%
43	Philippines	24.1%
44	United Kingdom	23.5%
45	Kuwait	23.5%
46	Sierra Leone	23.4%
47	Russia	23.0%
48	France	22.8%
49	Northern Cyprus	22.6%
50	Thailand	22.4%
51	Namibia	21.7%
52	Slovakia	21.4%
53	Romania	20.8%
54	Macedonia	20.6%
55	Spain	20.6%
56	Tanzania	20.2%
57	Poland	20.1%
58	Turkey	19.9%
59	Taiwan	19.8%
60	Sri Lanka	19.5%
61	Kazakhstan	19.1%
62	Sudan	19.0%
63	Mauritius	18.9%
64	Algeria	18.5%
65	Albania	18.5%
66	Portugal	18.3%
67	Belgium	18.2%
68	Mongolia	17.7%
69	Bosnia Herzegovina	17.5%
70	India	17.1%
71	Kenya	16.8%
72	Czech Republic	16.8%
73	Indonesia	16.7%
74	Bulgaria	16.6%
75	Hungary	16.5%
76	Jamaica	16.4%
77	Nepal	16.4%
78	Paraguay	16.3%
79	Estonia	16.2%
80	Pakistan	16.0%
81	Belarus	15.7%
82	Cyprus	15.7%
83	Tajikistan	15.6%
84	Serbia	15.3%
85	Italy	15.3%
86	Slovenia	14.7%
87	Congo Brazzaville	14.6%
88	Latvia	14.3%
89	Lebanon	14.1%
90	Yemen	14.0%
91	Peru	13.8%
92	Japan	13.5%
93	Vietnam	13.2%
94	Montenegro	13.1%
95	Iran	13.0%
96	Kosovo	13.0%
97	Singapore	12.7%
98	Rwanda	12.4%
99	Cambodia	12.4%
100	Bangladesh	12.3%
101	Jordan	12.2%
102	Iraq	12.1%
103	Lithuania	11.7%
104	Croatia	11.5%
105	Moldova	11.4%
106	South Sudan	11.3%
107	Ethiopia	11.2%
108	Liberia	10.4%
109	South Africa	10.4%
110	Mali	10.4%
111	Greece	10.3%
112	Palestine	9.9%
113	Niger	9.8%
114	Botswana	9.8%
115	Morocco	9.5%
116	Guinea	9.4%
117	South Korea	9.4%
118	Burkina Faso	9.0%
119	Azerbaijan	9.0%
120	Hong Kong	8.6%
121	Gabon	8.3%
122	Angola	8.3%
123	Malawi	8.2%
124	Armenia	8.1%
125	Zambia	7.9%
126	Georgia	7.9%
127	China	7.9%
128	Ukraine	7.7%
129	Egypt	7.7%
130	Chad	7.7%
131	Burundi	7.6%
132	Senegal	6.8%
133	Uganda	6.6%
134	Madagascar	6.5%
135	Zimbabwe	6.1%
136	Ghana	5.6%
137	Haiti	5.3%
138	Benin	4.8%
139	Ivory Coast	4.5%
140	Congo Kinshasa	4.1%
141	Tunisia	4.0%
142	Togo	3.9%
143	Cameroon	3.1%
144	Bhutan	3.0%
145	Afghanistan	0.0%

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