UK’s happiest and unhappiest towns unveiled - and it’s all to do with the weather

A list of the happiest and unhappiest towns in the UK has been unveiled, and it is all based on how much sunshine those places get.

Researchers looked at places in the UK that have the most sunlight during the winter months to determine which town is the happiest.

Sunlight triggers the hormone serotonin to be released to your brain, helping to fight off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or the ‘winter blues’.

Based on the total hours of sun, Chichester in West Sussex is crowned the happiest place in the UK with 232 sunny hours in winter. Whereas the least sunny place is Bradford in West Yorkshire, seeing only 110 hours of sunlight during the cold season.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

It is caused by short, dark days during the winter months and around two million people in the UK are affected by SAD.

Two-fifths of UK adults feel more depressed due to dark nights.

Studies show that neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, can help to regulate a person’s mental health and aid in calming and focusing you.

So, Brits are more likely to avoid the winter blues in sunnier places.

SAD affects not only your energy levels but “your sleep and day-to-day life,” explained Neil Wright, a sleep expert at Beds Divans, which commissioned the research.

He said: “People with SAD often feel excessively sleepy during the day and typically sleep longer than usual at night.