The secret of happiness? It’s having a 30-minute nap in the afternoon

Scientists may have stumbled on the secret of happiness – and thankfully, it doesn’t require too much effort.

Having a 30-minute nap in the early afternoon reliably makes people feel happier, acccording to a University of Hertfordshire researcher.

You just have to make sure you don’t sleep too long – as people who sleep longer than 30 minutes actually feel less happy than those who don’t.

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Professor Richard Wiseman, of the University of Hertfordshire, said: ‘Previous research has shown that naps of under 30 minutes make you more focused, productive and creative, and these new findings suggest … that you can also become happier by just taking a short nap.’

Wiseman got 1,000 people to take part in the study at the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

Among people who slept for half an hour or less, 66% felt happy – while 56% of those who had a long nap felt happy, and 60% of those who didn’t sleep at all.