Sleeping well has been named the single biggest factor that influences the happiness of Londoners – while having a short commute and avoiding the Tube are also big factors.
According to Time Out London’s ‘Great City Living Survey 2015’, which surveyed 10,000 Londoners in July this year, people who said they usually slept well were found to be 19.2% happier than those who didn’t.
The research showed that Londoners are averaging around seven hours of sleep a night, but 61 per cent of people in the city experience difficulty sleeping and cite worrying about work as the most common reason.
The average Londoner's sleeping pattern is still better than a third of the UK's population however, who have been found to be getting less than six hours sleep a night, increasing the risk of early death due to the range of health problems this can contribute to.
In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015)
Other factors found to offset stress and increase happiness were having a short commute; exercising in the past week; cycling instead of taking the tube; having sex in the past week; being in a relationship; not relying on coffee, and calling family in the past week.
Considering that the survey was carried out in July, when Londoners were required to find other modes of transport to work during the Tube strike, it's little wonder the ability to cycle to work helped to offset their stress.
