World Becomes a Happier Place

New poll finds those who make less aren't as satisfied

(NEWSER) - Good news for those of you not quite making $75,000 per year : A new study finds that an annual income of just $50,000 is enough to inspire happiness. A previous study put the magic happiness number at $75,000, finding that even Americans making significantly more than that weren't any happier. The new study isn't quite the same: It didn't measure what happens to happiness after the $50,000 mark, it just found that those making less than $50,000 weren't as satisfied with their lives. More»

And don't pursue it too hard, either: studies

(NEWSER) - Happiness is a good thing … unless you have too much of it, in which case it can actually make you unhappy. If you're too happy, studies have shown, you may also be gullible, selfish, less creative, or less successful, the Washington Post reports. "Research indicates that very high levels of positive feelings predict risk-taking behaviors, excess alcohol and drug consumption, binge eating, and may lead us to neglect threats," says one psychology professor. Some specifics from happiness studies: More»

Denmark, and unhappiest is Togo: report

(NEWSER) - Bhutan measures the mood of its citizens in a national happiness index , and in an international meeting held at the UN yesterday and led by the country, it urged other nations to follow its lead. A report released for the meeting, taking into account polls from 2005 to 2011, ranks the happiest and unhappiest countries. The happiest (the US makes an appearance at No. 11):

1. Denmark
2. Finland
3. Norway
4. Netherlands
5. Canada

Hawaii wins again, followed by North Dakota and Minnesota

(NEWSER) - So people like sun and surf and swaying palm trees —who knew. For the third straight year, Hawaii has taken first place in a national poll of happiness among US states, LiveScience reports. The telephone survey of more than 350,000 adults posed questions about emotional health, work environment, and self-evaluation for the present and five years down the road. Here are the happiest states, including a score out of a possible 100 points: More»

Those who use it more often think others are happier: study

(NEWSER) - One quick way to feel better about your life: Delete your Facebook account. Or, at the very least, spend less time on it. A new study suggests that the more you use Facebook, the more likely you are to believe that your friends are happier and lead better lives than you, Miller-McCune reports. Also contributing: the number of Facebook "friends" you don't actually know. The more of them clogging up your news feed, the more likely you are to think others are happier than you. More»