Screaming toddlers and sleepless nights notwithstanding, new research from across the Atlantic indicates that parents are, generally speaking, happier than non-parents.

Researchers at three universities in North America studied parents in the US and Canada, and found them to be happier than non-parents in several ways.

For instance, they discovered that time spent performing parenting-specific tasks is generally happier time than for any other daily activity.

Parents appear to be happier than non-parents over both short ‘moment to moment’ periods, and over the long term too.

“We find that, if you are older (and presumably more mature) and if you are married (and presumably have more social and financial support), then you’re likely to be happier if you have children,” says Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at the University of California – Riverside.

She worked with counterparts from the University of British Columbia in Canada and Stanford University on the study.

However, the researchers also found that the improved happiness does not occur in very young parents, or single parents, whose support networks may be less well established.

Whatever your circumstances, we can help your family to be a little happier by giving your child a good night’s sleep, with baby blankets and swaddling, nightlights and sleeptrainer clocks all available in our store.