Family and friends are the bare necessities of life, poll claims

found 95 per cent of 2,000 Britons polled believe making time for the "good stuff" leads to a happy life

Family is the key to happiness, according to a survey of 2,000 Britons who revealed the checklist for a happy life included quality time with family, time alone and a good catch up with friends.

Getting outdoors, a good healthy meal and a peaceful night's sleep also ranked highly on the list for raising spirits, as did pursuing hobbies and discovering something new.

The study found one respondents spent less than 30 minutes a day doing things which make them happy.

TV star and well-being advocate Melanie Sykes and Harley Street nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert have urged people to take a positive look at their lifestyles.

Sykes said: “Over the past 10 years I’ve focused on going for the ‘good stuff,’ adopting a healthy attitude towards food and keeping fit with regular exercise. I have learnt to stop saying 'yes' to everything and give myself enough time to unwind and focus on me. For me, it’s about making time to discover new things that I will enjoy.

''Whether that’s playing around in the kitchen with new ingredients or throwing myself into a new workout routine. Hopefully this research will motivate others to make time to start their own journey of discovery and spend more time on the ‘good stuff’.”

The urvey also found 95 per cent of respondents believed making enough time for the "good stuff" and things you enjoy is important for leading a happy life.

More than a third said they regularly feared missing out on living their best life, with three in five on the lookout for more things in life to enjoy.

Despite citing catching up with their mates as one of life’s greatest pleasures, the average adult will meet with friends just once a week.

However, they will make time to touch base with their family around the dinner table four times a week on average.

The survey also revealed that 33 is the age where we begin to feel the benefits leading a healthy life has on our mood. Despite this, two thirds find eating healthily generally helps to lift their mood, and the average Brit will turn to food four times a week to raise their spirits.

Rhiannon Lambert said: “It’s such a simple change, but making sure we get enough of ‘the good stuff’ in our diets can improve the quality of our lives, inside and out. A balanced diet can actively help improve our health, but the research also demonstrates the impact some thoughtful food choices can have on our mental well-being.”

The study, which was commissioned by seeded-bread makers, Burgen, revealed one in five believed that bread is bad for you. A third confess to purposely cutting the staple out of their diet – with the hope that it will maintain a healthy weight.

SWNS