Latest news with #2025WorldHappinessReport
CNBC
5 days ago
- Health
- CNBC
Acts of kindness can make you happier and healthier, Happiness researchers say: 3 simple ways to give and reap the benefits
Among the many points for assessing happiness around the world, like sharing meals with others and family bonds, researchers for the 2025 World Happiness Report looked closely at acts of kindness. They discovered that the rate of benevolent acts was 10% higher in 2024 than between 2017 and 2019 almost everywhere in the world. They also found that the rate of helping strangers, specifically, is 18% higher than between 2017 and 2019. "People consistently and universally underestimate the kindness of others," says Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, editor of the report and director of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. But the truth is, it happens more often than people realize. "In the United States, only 30% of people think the wallet will be returned when lost," says De Neve. "The reality is about 60% of wallets get returned when lost." And these acts improve everyone's wellbeing. Kindness is a "dynamic and a virtuous cycle," says De Neve, "in the sense that if you're being virtuous and helping others and being kind to others, that obviously helps the receiving party, but it also helps you." Researchers now have proof that three different kinds of giving can have this effect: "These things are very strongly correlated with improving one's own life satisfaction, one's own well-being," says De Neve. Even toddlers as young as two years old feel pleasure from giving to others, according to the report. In fact, just seeing someone else's generosity has a positive impact on wellbeing, researchers found. And if you're looking to implement these kind acts in your own life, there's virtually no limit to how frequently you should do so in terms of reaping the benefits. "The kinder you can be without hurting yourself, of course," says De Neve, the better. For managers looking for feel-good teambuilding activities, "allow company employees and teams to volunteer together for their chosen charities on company days," suggests De Neve. The wellbeing effects will be the same as those outside of the workplace.
New York Post
26-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Gen Zers who are actually happy are saying yes to religion and family — and no to social media
Many of the kids are not alright — though some are. According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, Americans ages 18 to 29 ranked 62nd amongst the 140 countries surveyed in terms of self-reported well-being and life satisfaction — far below all US adults, who ranked 24th in the most recent report. But a small segment of young Americans are bucking the trend and finding happiness. The Post spoke with several, and they all noted that limiting their time on Instagram, TikTok and the like was crucial to their mental well-being. The average Zoomer spends three quarters of their day consuming content. Advertisement 8 Kevin Alexander has cerebral palsy and believes he's happier than most of his able-bodied peers. Courtesy of Kevin Alexander 'Social media in and of itself is a very negative and toxic place,' Kevin Alexander, a self-described happy 28-year-old from Southern Florida, told The Post. 'I don't use it that much.' Alexander has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and uses crutches for mobility. His disability taught him that 'comparison is the thief of joy' early on, so he's always avoided social media, which he believes has been key. Advertisement 'I happen to be physically disabled, so I tend to look more for positive things, because I've certainly dealt with a host of negativity in my life through operations, through stigma, through a lot of things,' he explained. Alexander, who recently got his master's degree in history and is working on an essay collection while applying to PhD programs, also credits his intellectual pursuits for his positive outlook. 8 Kevin Alexander says he escapes in books and history. Courtesy of Kevin Alexander 'I read a lot, and I try to stay inside in my own head more than listen to the external noise,' he said. 'I'm just so in my books and in my writing that I can get lost to the world for several hours of the day at a time.' Advertisement Ben Feinblum, a 20-year-old sophomore studying business at Georgia Tech, believes social media is bringing his generation down and credits his positive outlook to restricting his use of it. 'Social media makes people very comfortable being alone, and even when they are hanging out with people they're on their phones and texting people that aren't even there,' the New Rochelle native said. 8 Ben Feinblum believes his generation's mental health is harmed by social media. Courtesy of Ben Feinblum Feinblum turns off notifications on apps, such as Instagram, that aren't essential, and he and his friends have created rituals to stay in the moment while hanging out. Advertisement 'My friends will be very conscious of who's on their phone and call them out,' he said. 'We stack up our phones on the table, and whoever picks theirs up first is the one to pay the tip for dinner.' Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison, an unusually upbeat 20-year-old sophomore at Samford University in Alabama, also makes efforts to rein in her social media use when she feels it getting out of hand. 8 Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison says that exercising and getting outside helps her stay happy. Courtesy of Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison 'I can kind of take authority and say, you know what, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok is really affecting me. I've got to delete it for a week or two or whatever,' she said. She also avoids 'bed rotting' — a wallowing form of self care beloved by Zoomers — in favor of healthier pursuits. 'Instead, [I say] I'm gonna go take a walk outside. I'm going to read a book,' she said. 'I think sometimes you need to escape whatever your situation is, and I think reading is the greatest resource.' 8 Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison sometimes deletes social media apps when she feels they're detrimental to her mental health. Courtesy of Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison Daily journaling has also been proved helpful to Ellison, who dealt with anxiety in her teens. Advertisement 'Just getting my thoughts out and getting to stretch those writing legs has always brought a boost to my serotonin,' she said. 'I try to get down five things I'm grateful for.' Nearly all of the happy Zoomers The Post spoke with cited their religion as a major reason for their contentment. 'Something that has always influenced me is growing up with a dad that's a pastor,' Ellison said. 'My faith has ebbed and flowed and changed a lot as I've grown up, but it's always been consistently there for me to fall back on.' 8 Kevin Alexander recently received a master's degree in history and plans to pursue a PhD. Courtesy of Kevin Alexander Advertisement For Alexander, his Christian faith has helped him frame his disability in a positive manner. 'The fact that I'm still here 28 years later makes me believe that God has me here for a reason,' he said. 'I have physical limitations, but He spared my ability to speak, to think, and to write effectively. The idea that I'm here for a purpose keeps me from falling into the generational nihilism.' 8 Fay Dubinsky's Jewish faith grounded her with larger meaning. Courtesy of Fay Dubinsky Fay Dubinsky, 28 of Boca, Florida, credits Judaism with providing her with a sense of community and meaning. Advertisement 'I grew up Jewish and religious, and I think that's probably one of the reasons that I'm not depressed or anxious,' she said. 'I have so much meaning in my life, and that's not typical for my generation.' 8 Dubinsky, 28, is the mother of a son and is also 7 months pregnant with her second child. Courtesy of Fay Dubinsky Dubinsky, who works as a therapist, also says her choice to get married early, at age 25, and start a family soon after has given her more purpose. She has a nearly 2-year-old son and is 7-months-pregnant. 'I take time for myself, but so much of my day is to help others, to take care of my family, to take care of my baby,' she said. 'I think the number one problem in my generation is a lack of meaning. People my age, their life is about them, and serving themselves, and always seeking out more pleasure.'
National Geographic
09-05-2025
- General
- National Geographic
Sharing a meal with friends and family could be the key to better mental health
Seaside views and garden flowers are the setting of a backyard meal at a guest villa in Positano, Italy. Photograph by Massimo Bassano, Nat Geo Image Collection The cuisines across the Mediterranean, Latin American, and Southeast Asian may vary, but the practice of sharing food and gathering around the table is so deeply rooted in these cultures that it's almost sacred. Meals are eaten together, plates are passed with intention, and no one rises until all are finished. But in other parts of the world, communal dining has become a rarity. The idea of taking a full hour for lunch is met with skepticism, and even basic rituals like sharing a proper meal are brushed aside as indulgent. How has something so essential to our well-being become so easily dismissed? Meal sharing around the world According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, meal sharing ranks among the strongest predictors of well-being, comparable to factors like income and employment. (The problem with 'happiness.') Yet the trend is in decline: One in four Americans now eats every meal alone, a 53 percent increase since 2003. The United States ranks 69th and the United Kingdom ranks 81st out of 142 countries for shared meals. By contrast, countries like Senegal, Gambia, Malaysia, and Paraguay top the global rankings, with residents sharing 11 or more meals with others each week. The report finds that people in countries with high rates of meal sharing also declare stronger social support and lower levels of loneliness, suggesting that the decline in communal meals in more industrialized societies is more than a lifestyle shift; it's a public health concern. Two sisters, one who works as a nurse and another in nursing school, laugh while cooking together in their home in Baltimore, Maryland. Photograph by Rosem Morton, Nat Geo Image Collection In the U.S., the idea of the family meal as a cultural anchor began to take shape in the 19th century, as middle-class households embraced structured mealtimes as part of the domestic ideal. This ritual became more deeply embedded in the national psyche in the early to mid-20th century, when advertisers and television shows popularized the image of the nuclear family gathered around the dinner table. As societies became more complex in the 20th century, shared meals solidified bonds within families. 'Humans have usually cooked with others because it's more energy and resource-efficient to do this,' explains Megan Elias, director of food studies programs at Boston University. 'Because we have lived and worked in groups, we eat in groups, too.' This long lineage of eating with others predates modern societies, but in the U.S., it was particularly prominent during the 19th and early 20th centuries. But as urbanization and digitization started to fragment daily life, those gatherings that once knitted society together began to fade away. Factory schedules introduced shift work and clock-based routines that made shared mealtimes harder to coordinate. By the mid-20th century, the rise of suburban sprawl and the spread of television dinners further encouraged solitary or rushed eating. Over time, the family table gave way to convenience, with meals increasingly shaped by speed, screens, and individual schedules rather than ritual or togetherness. (How leftover turkey launched the TV dinner.) In more recent decades, the digital revolution—coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic—has accelerated this fragmentation, with meals increasingly relegated to a fleeting necessity between Zoom calls, desk work, and social media. A family eats at a kitchen table at a Celtic spritual retreat in the village of Kilronan on Inishmore island, Ireland. Photograph by Jim Richardson, Nat Geo Image Collection However, the science remains clear: Eating with others is good for the brain. Research published in Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology shows that social meals stimulate the brain's endorphin system—the same pathways closely linked to oxytocin and dopamine, the neurochemicals responsible for bonding, trust, and pleasure. Sharing a table, it turns out, is as vital to human connection as conversation itself. (Dopamine doesn't actually make you feel good—here's the science behind the 'happy hormone.') Research published in Frontiers in Public Health suggests that communal eating experiences may help reduce feelings of loneliness, sadness, and emotional distress among older adults, contributing to improved mental well-being. Similarly, a recent study published in Clinical Nutrition revealed that adolescents who regularly shared meals with others reported fewer symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression than their peers who ate alone. These meals, researchers concluded, provided emotional support and a comfort zone against mental health struggles. If shared meals are indeed one of the most accessible and affordable remedies to modern loneliness, then perhaps reviving them is not about nostalgia, but necessity. In Crete, Greece, a couple dines on a lunch of stuffed grape leaves, an omelet with wild herbs, and potatoes fried in olive oil. Photograph by Matthieu Paley, Nat Geo Image Collection When asked what we risk losing when eating alone, Elias emphasizes conversation. 'Sharing a sensory experience over a meal can make other people seem more 'real' to us,' she says. In the absence of those everyday interactions, which Elias calls 'the glue of daily life,' people risk becoming emotionally and socially untethered. Meal sharing also appears to be closely related to some, but not all, measures of social connectedness. Most notably, countries where people share more meals have higher levels of social support and positive reciprocity, and lower levels of loneliness. (Happiness and wealth aren't enough—here's why you should strive to 'flourish.') Consider Turkey, where a rakı sofrası (raki table) consists of a ritual of small plates, shared laughter, and hours of conversation. Likewise, in Italy, families often devote half of Sunday to a leisurely lunch, sharing courses of pasta and roast together. Throughout Greece, meze platters in tavernas encourage groups to break bread communally, forging a sense of kinship at the table. Anthropologists call this phenomenon 'commensality,' the act of eating together to strengthen social bonds. In these Mediterranean settings, hospitality is itself a healing practice, turning the table into a natural antidote to loneliness. 'Food and sharing food are very important elements in building identities, both as individuals and as members of communities,' says Fabio Parasecoli, professor of food studies at New York University. 'When this sense of belonging is not there, it brings emotional consequences. That act of physically eating together is a crucial part of how we define ourselves.' A senior woman serves brunch to her husband and daughter in their home in Brooklyn, New York. Photograph by Sarah Blesener, Nat Geo Image Collection Amid rising isolation, what would it take to restore communal eating to everyday life? Urban planners propose 'common kitchens' in housing, psychologists suggest workplace lunch reforms, and ministries are funding meal-based programs to connect seniors and youth. In care homes, communal dining has replaced solitary meals, with studies showing improved mental health, appetite, and cognition among older adults, while also easing loneliness and encouraging a sense of belonging. There are even grassroots efforts to try to restore the table, like supper clubs and platforms that connect strangers over home-cooked meals. These modern gatherings may vary in style, but their message is clear: The table remains one of the simplest, most powerful ways to bring people together.
New York Times
30-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Turns Out, G.D.P. Doesn't Buy Happiness
According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, which was released last month, the happiest country in the world is Finland, trailed closely by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. This news came as no surprise. The report, released annually since 2012 by a consortium of groups including Gallup, often features these four Nordic nations — all of them stable democracies with prosperous and healthy citizens — at or near the top of its list. At the bottom (out of 147 countries assessed) was Afghanistan, then Sierra Leone, Lebanon and Malawi. These rankings reinforce a key supposition of our globalized political and economic order: Poor countries are unhappy because they are poor, and wealth is a critical precondition for individual and societal flourishing. The International Monetary Fund encourages trade and economic growth on the theory that happiness increases with material prosperity. Political thinkers such as Francis Fukuyama and Steven Pinker talk about wanting to help poor and turbulent nations 'get to Denmark.' But there are reasons for suspecting that the World Happiness Report rankings — and the model of international development which they are often taken to justify — do not capture the fullness of well-being. Respondents are asked a single question: to imagine an 11-rung ladder whose top and bottom are the best and worst possible lives, and to place their life on one of the rungs. This metric, known as life evaluation, can be a useful piece of information, but happiness is almost certainly a more complex phenomenon. You might be sick but still have a strong sense that life is meaningful, or be financially insecure but still have close relationships with family members and friends. There is also evidence that when people offer their life evaluation score, the framing of the question can prompt them to fixate on wealth and status over other aspects of well-being. That risks stacking the deck: If life evaluation is, in effect, another way of measuring economic prosperity, it is neither surprising nor illuminating that the rankings of the World Happiness Report loosely correlate with gross domestic product. The three of us conceive of happiness — or flourishing — more broadly: as a state of affairs in which all aspects of your life are relatively good, including the social environments in which you live. If we were to examine not just life evaluation but also relationships with family members and friends, community and political participation, health, prevailing emotions, a sense of life's purpose, feelings of financial security and so on, we could better understand what it means to live a good life and how governments and international institutions can help make people happier. On Wednesday, we are publishing a substantial body of research — dozens of academic papers, including a high-level overview of the results in the journal Nature Mental Health — based on the first year of data from our Global Flourishing Study, a five-year project that poses more than 100 questions to more than 200,000 people across 22 countries on six continents. Combining answers to questions regarding several domains of well-being — health, happiness, meaning, character, social relationships and material prosperity — we calculated a composite flourishing score for each country. Our findings present a different picture of global well-being. As expected, Sweden, for example, had high scores for life evaluation, behind only Israel, another typical standout in the World Happiness Report. When we widened the aperture, however, the picture changed: Sweden had only the 13th-highest composite flourishing score, essentially tied with the United States, and considerably lower than Indonesia, the Philippines and even Nigeria, whose 2023 gross domestic product per capita was just under 2 percent of America's. Across the whole sample of 22 countries, the overall national composite flourishing actually decreased slightly as G.D.P. per capita rose. The only high-income countries that ranked in the top half of composite flourishing were Israel and Poland. Most of the developed countries in the study reported less meaning, fewer and less satisfying relationships and communities, and fewer positive emotions than did their poorer counterparts. Most of the countries that reported high overall composite flourishing may not have been rich in economic terms, but they tended to be rich in friendships, marriages and community involvement — especially involvement in religious communities. Japan, where only 3 percent of the participants reported attending religious services at least weekly, had the lowest reported composite flourishing as well as the lowest scores in many individual facets of flourishing, such as a sense of life's meaning and social relationships. Indonesia, by contrast, where 75 percent of the participants reported attending religious services at least weekly, had the highest scores both for composite flourishing and for many individual facets of flourishing. Indonesia is often contrasted unfavorably with Japan in discussions of international development, cited as an example of the so-called middle-income trap, in which economic growth stalls before reaching high-income levels. This is true, so far as it goes, but our study suggests that the focus on economic growth tells only part of the story. To be clear: Being poor is not desirable, and we should strive to improve material conditions. But our research, though in its early stages, should prompt people to wonder whether prioritizing economic growth and material prosperity above all else has imposed costs on developed nations — and whether doing so is likely to impose these costs on the developing economies that follow the path of Europe and its colonial offshoots. We need to figure out how to foster economic development without compromising meaning, purpose and relationships. Israel, a rare wealthy country with a high composite flourishing score (second in our study), is highly religious by developed-world standards, with a third of its citizens saying they attend religious services at least weekly. Might something in the experience of Israel provide a model for how Indonesia could pursue improvements in economic growth and political stability without eroding the close-knit communities from which life there derives so much of its value? Might it even be possible for Sweden to 'get to Indonesia' — in terms of restoring relationships and communities, a sense of meaning in life and a connection to the sacred — without sacrificing its hard-won health, wealth and stability? There are no simple answers to these questions. But if nothing else, our work offers an opportunity to reflect on the ways in which much of the developed world may have gone astray and to explore the paths that might lead us back to happier lives.
CBS News
24-04-2025
- CBS News
Minneapolis is one of the happiest cities in the world, new study shows
With its ample green space, vibrant arts and food scenes and generally genial denizens, is it any wonder Minneapolis ranks among the world's happiest cities? The Institute for Quality of Life's Happy City Index ranks cities worldwide that "set the standard for urban happiness, sustainability, and quality of life." Minneapolis came in at No. 30, earning it gold status as one of the world's happiest. The index assigns scores to cities in six categories: citizens, economy, governance, health, environment and mobility. Minneapolis earned its highest score in environment, followed by economy. The city's total score was 845, about 200 shy of top-ranked Copenhagen, Denmark. The institute noted Minneapolis' "world-renonwed educational institutions," "robust and business-friendly economy," parks, public transit options and more as reasons for the city's high ranking. "Of course Minneapolis is one of the happiest cities in the world—that's no surprise to those of us who call it home," Mayor Jacob Frey said. "Where else can you launch a startup in the morning, bike the Chain of Lakes at lunch and catch a game or a show at night? We've got big-city energy with backyard access to nature, and that makes life here pretty hard to beat." Only one other U.S. city warranted a gold rating: New York, which came in at No. 17 overall with 902 points. The only other Midwestern cities in the top 200 are Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. In last year's index, Minneapolis was the happiest city in the U.S. The index was compiled by "analysing objective data, open information, and conducting interviews with residents," the institute said. More than 200 volunteers work to compile the list every year. The 2025 World Happiness Report, which ranks 147 countries based on a population's average assessment of their quality of life, found the U.S. falling to 24th, its lowest ranking ever.
