Why our families are our surest source of happiness

By FIONA MACRAE

Last updated at 00:42 06 March 2008


They say you can't buy it - and they'd be right. Because happiness is in your genes, scientists say.

According to researchers, 50 per cent of our disposition towards a sunny outlook is down to genetics.

Money, career, health, relationships and other external factors all add up to explain the rest.

But those lucky enough to inherit the right personality mix have a "reserve" of happiness which can be called upon in times of stress, experts from the University of Edinburgh say after studying 900 sets of twins.

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Dr Alexander Weiss, whose results are published in the journal Psychological Science, said: "Together with life and liberty, the pursuit of happiness is a core human desire.

"Although happiness is subject to a wide range of external influences we have found that there is a heritable component of happiness which can be entirely explained by genetic architecture of personality."

Although it's good news for some of us, those who inherit a poor set of genes may have to work harder than others at being happy, warned fellow researcher Dr Tim Bates.

"For instance, you can make the effort to ring a friend."

However, there are plenty of ways to help yourself feel happier with your lot, according to Dr Alex Linley, of the Centre for Applied Positive Psychology in Coventry.

"Simple things, like listing your strengths and using them in new ways every day, or keeping a journal where you write down every night three things that you are grateful for, have been shown to deliver improvements."

The Edinburgh researchers aren't the first to recognise that money isn't everything.

Even Camelot, the lottery operator, has noticed a similar trend.

Although Lotto winners studied did appear to be happier than ordinary members of the public, their contentment was not based on material goods.

"Instead, they revelled in being able to take time off to appreciate the free things in life, such as a long soak in the bath, an afternoon snooze or a leisurely stroll in the park."

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