ITS OFFICIAL, BRIGHTON IS THE HAPPIEST CITY IN THE UK

• Study reveals Oxford is the most satisfied city

• Edinburgh ranks bottom for happiest and satisfied, favouring the words anxious and depressed

• 33 is the a happiest age

• Survey reveals forty winks, close friends and enough time with our favourite food and entertainment seem to keep a smile on us all

Its official, Brighton is the happiest city in the UK. In a nationwide survey into the satisfaction of the nation, Brighton and Hove came out as the Happiness Capital, with over a third of the city’s populace choosing the word ‘Happy’ to describe their lives.

At the other end of the scale, just 16 per cent of Edinburgh residents described their lives as ‘Happy’, favouring the words ‘Anxious’ and ‘Depressed’.

As for the city which has the highest level of general life satisfaction, it was Oxford, which came top with a score of 6.72 out of 10, while Edinburgh came bottom once again with an average of 5.89 out of 10. When asked to rate their life satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 10 the average Brit gave themselves a middling 6.37 out of 10.

Marketing Director Kerry Collinge, for 9NINE Super Seed brand, who commissioned the study, said: “Brighton residents have found themselves topping our happiest city chart. Maybe it’s the sea air and sunny weather that keeps them smiling!”

Just 1 in 10 Brits rated their life satisfaction at 9 or above (indicating excellent life satisfaction).

The study, which quizzed 3,000 Brits, also looked into the ways we boost our mood and found 3 in 5 look to bed for comfort in hard times, while over half lean on family for support.

43 per cent of those surveyed play their favourite music when they need to raise their spirits, and reading a book proved more popular for boosting our serotonin levels than sex.

Typical British weather is most likely to get us feeling down in the dumps, with 40 per cent claiming that inclement weather has a negative effect on their emotions.

Nearly half of the women polled in the study thought time to relax was important for their well-being, while 35 per cent of men preferred sex as a way to unwind.

When it comes to having a bad day, women are twice as likely as men to be brought down by living in a messy home, with 37 per cent claiming that untidiness has a negative effect on their mood compared to 18 per cent of men.

Most Brits believe that they will be at their happiest at the age of 33, and just over a third believe that their best years are now behind them.

An optimistic fifth think that they are currently having the time of their lives.

When asked to describe how often they feel in a positive mood, 58 per cent said that they are usually happy people, and only 6 per cent said they rarely or never feel happiness. A quarter of Brits describe themselves as anxious, and only 1 in 7 consider themselves a generally confident person.

Women are more likely to describe themselves as anxious, sensitive and loving, while men prefer to describe themselves as confident, happy and proud. Worryingly, 44 per cent of those polled believe that they have experienced a panic attack at one time or another in their lives, and 3 in 5 have suffered from anxiety.

In order to make their lives better, 1 in 6 would like to improve their physical fitness and 16 per cent would like to have more certain financial security.

Marketing Director, Kerry Collinge from 9NINE, who commissioned the study, continued: “Happiness is at the heart of our brand, our study has helped to show that when it comes to the secret of happiness the simple things in life are usually best. Forty winks, close friends and enough time with our favourite food and entertainment seem to keep a smile on the faces of most.”

THE HAPPIEST CITIES IN THE UK:

1. Brighton and Hove
2. Leicester
3. Portsmouth
4. Newcastle
5. Oxford
6. Chelmsford
7. Norwich
8. Bristol
9. London
10. Cambridge
11. Manchester
12. Belfast
13. Coventry
14. Cardiff
15. Birmingham
16. York
17. Plymouth
18. Sheffield
19. Leeds
20. Glasgow
21. Southampton
22. Liverpool
23. Edinburgh

BEST UK CITIES FOR LIFE SATISFACTION:

1. Oxford
2. Bristol
3. Brighton and Hove
4. Chelmsford
5. Leeds
6. Leicester
7. Newcastle
8. Southampton
9. Manchester
10. Portsmouth
11. London
12. Norwich
13. Glasgow
14. Cardiff
15. Belfast
16. Liverpool
17. Coventry
18. York
19. Sheffield
20. Plymouth
21. Cambridge
22. Birmingham
23. Edinburgh

TOP TEN WAYS TO LIFT SPIRITS

1. A good night’s rest                           59.57%
2. Spending time with family              53.40%
3. Spending time with friends            46.97%
4. Having downtime to relax               44.40%
5. Listening to music                           43.27%
6. Regular exercise                              39.87%
7. Watch TV/A film                               35.80%
8. Reading a book                                34.80%
9. Doing your hobby                            32.33%
10. Eating your favourite meal                         29.53%

TOP TEN THINGS TO PUT YOU IN A BAD MOOD

1. Poor weather                                                40.10%
2. Having no time to yourself             35.53%
3. Sitting in traffic                                 32.27%
4. A heavy workload                            29.90%
5. Coming home to a messy home   27.70%
6. Checking the news                         19.93%
7. Checking your bank statement     19.07%
8. Using public transport                     13.33%
9. A bad hair day                                  12.70%
10. A bad outfit day                                8.47%

We all experience cloud 9NINE feelings and being healthy has a lot do with it! All 9NINE products have natural benefits derived from the Super Seeds in each bar, and opting for the healthier choice no longer means sacrificing on taste. Choosing the right foods that make you feel good and enable you to stretch your adventure boundaries are part of what 9NINE stands for.

9NINE has spent a lot of time looking at the benefits of seeds, what they offer and how they can improve moods; for example, research shows that magnesium improves mindfulness which could in turn lead to an elevated mood. Key ingredients in 9NINE products include:

Magnesium – restores mindfulness with good energy

Fibre – boosts your body with good digestion

Copper – activates your immune system

Phosphorous – looks after your mental energy

Vitamin E – gets your skin glowing

Thiamin – gets the best energy out of your food

Potassium – gives your heart the love it deserves

Manganese – maintains strength through healthy bones

Calcium – keeps the balance with happy hormones

Zinc – gives a natural immune boost

Protein – an essential building block for a balanced life

Iron – keeps oxygen moving around the body

– ENDS –

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www. http://9ninebrand.com

Notes to editors:

For more further information and media interviews please

contact: Siobhan Connor at Connor PR on 07966 177025 or email:

siobhan@connorpr.com

About 9NINE

9NINE products are handmade in a craft bakery in the beautiful Vale of Llangollen in North Wales. Their unique blend of Super Seeds are a favourite for people leading healthy lifestyles and they have just unveiled some brand-new packaging, and several exciting new products including:

Super Seed Fusions which have been created for sprinkling and sharing and come in three fabulous street food flavours – Spanish Patatas Bravas, Argentinian Chimichurri and Indian Mango Kuchela.

Seed Bombes which come in packs of three pop-in-your-mouth-on-the-go convenient little bundles of Super Seeds mixed with double cocoa. They aim to drive value into the indulgent treats and confectionery category, and flavours include Coconut, Raspberry and Vanilla.

Since launching over 10 years ago, 9NINE Super Seed bars have rapidly grown to become the most widely distributed mixed seed bar in the UK. The 16-variety strong range is currently stocked at major retailers including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Morrisons, W.H Smith, E.H Booths, McColls and Holland & Barrett, as well as independent retailers nationwide. 9Brand Foods will be rolling out to a number of high street convenience retail chains throughout spring/summer 2017. 9Brand Foods is a subsidiary of Wholebake Ltd. Visit: http://9bar.com

Connor PR working with 9NINE Super seed bar, Connor PR expert in news generation, Connor PR expert in survey news generation, Connor PR expert in FMCG PR