Why People Are Happier on Weekends

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People are happier on weekends for two main reasons, say U.S. researchers.

"Why weekends are better are the two factors of autonomy and relatedness," said study co-author Richard Ryan, a psychologist at the University of Rochester in New York, USA Today reported.

"There's more connection with other people and more self-direction. Wherever you don't have autonomy or don't feel relatedness, your well-being will be lower," Ryan explained.

The study included 74 adults, ages 18 to 62, who worked at least 30 hours a week. For three weeks, they were randomly asked three times a day about how they were feeling. All the participants felt better emotionally and physically from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, regardless of gender, age, education, marital status, salary or how many hours they work, USA Today reported.

The study was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.