Finland may be the happiest country on earth*, but Bristol, home of controversial artist Banksy, is the happiest city in the UK, according to a study** by the UK’s number one bingo site, GalaBingo.com.

Now that the excitement of Christmas has died down, most people have reluctantly gone back to work, and as we are rapidly approaching Blue Monday (21st January), which many consider to be the saddest day of the year, spirits can run low.

To combat the gloomy period, GalaBingo.com has studied how Brits rate their happiness, and more importantly, what can help to improve our moods.

Polling more than 2,000 people, the research revealed that residents in Bristol are the happiest in the UK, while those in other cities may be in need of a pick-me-up.

The happiest places in the UK (based on average happiness rating out of 10) are:

  1. Bristol - 7.3
  2. Birmingham - 7.2
  3. Liverpool - 7.2
  4. Leeds - 7.0
  5. Glasgow - 7.0
Whether it’s the brightly coloured houses, or the abundance of beautiful street art, something about the south-western harbour town keeps the residents cheerful.

However, while Bristol takes the crown for most happy on average, it is home of the Beatles, Liverpool that has the most people in the highest levels of joy, with over a quarter (27%) of Liverpudlians rating themselves a 9 or a 10!

In contrast, lending weight to the stereotype of grumpy, busy Londoners, England’s capital city trails behind with an average happiness rating of 6.7, but Manchester takes the bottom spot with just 6.6.

Overall, 65% of those polled rated their happiness at 7/10 or above on a typical day, with one in ten declaring they were a staggering 10/10 on the happy scale.

But it is the older folk, who really bring the numbers up, with Brits aged 65 and above rating themselves 7.4 on average, compared to the 6.8 average happiness of baby boomers (aged 45-64)

So, just what makes the nation tick? According to the study, the perfect day includes spending time with family or friends, eating favourite foods, and getting some much-deserved rest and relaxation!

Top 10 things that make us feel happy are:

  1. Spending time with family (46%)
  2. Going on holiday (34%)
  3. Eating your favourite foods (25%)
  4. Socialising with friends (24%)
  5. Getting peace and quiet/relaxing (23%)
  6. Watching your favourite TV show or film (22%)
  7. A good sleep (22%)
  8. Shopping (16%)
  9. Reading (15%)
  10. Getting outdoors (14%)