Men are happier within their homes as compared to women: Report

Indian sleep solutions company Wakefitco recently unveiled The Happy Home Index 2024 drawing insightful findings on Indiansrsquo relationships with their homes The report has been devised to understand the interplay between various aspects that contribute to making a happy and safe abodeThrough the report Wakefitco aims to build thought leadership in the home solutions space and seeks to address the intricate preferences and challenges faced by varying demographics and citiesWith over 3000 respondents across top metros the report covered a timeline spanning March 2023 to February 2024 and analysed the following factors Functional Happiness It covers peoplersquos relationship with inanimate yet important aspects in the home such as furniture decor and lighting Emotional Happiness It covers aspects such as the willingness to return home the freedom of selfexpression and control over changing things within the home Social Happiness It covers aspects such as having a sense of belonging a balance between private and hosting spaces and engagement in shared activities at homeOn a scale of 10 India scored 82 on the overall happiness levels within the home Key findings from the Index also reveal that emotional wellbeing is at the heart of home happiness 854 despite functional 754 and social 79 shortfalls While homes are cherished as sanctuaries of happiness relationships with inanimate objects like furniture 764 decor 7 and lighting 798 show relatively lower happiness scores Further findings and observations from the report have been elucidated belowMen 16 per cent happier with freedom to change things at homeContrary to popular opinion the report indicates that men 83 seem to be happier within their homes as compared to women 778 Based on the reportrsquos findings men find more joy emotionally as well as with their living spaces indicating a distinct happiness in their homes While both men and women equally looked forward to getting back home at the end of the day men were 16 per cent happier with their freedom to change things around within the home The report suggested that men had higher satisfaction levels with every social aspect of the home such as a 2 per cent greater sense of belonging 8 per cent higher satisfaction with hosting and private spaces and 6 per cent more engagement in shared activities This report intriguingly overturns common conceptions suggesting a gendered disparity in domestic contentment and autonomyGen X 167 per cent happier with their homes than Gen ZThe report indicated that individuals over the age of 45 were 167 per cent happier in their homes as compared to 1825 year olds It also indicated 45 year olds were 6 per cent more eager to return home than 1825 year olds The data shows Gen X enjoying unmatched freedom of expression and a feeling of control in their home environment Despite Gen X outdoing their younger counterparts on all happiness parameters their functional happiness 79 was relatively lower than their emotional 887 and social 812 happinessCity homes varied contentment In terms of overall happiness index and satisfaction within the home Chennai and Mumbai have the lowest score 8 while Hyderabad recorded the highest score 854 However happiness with emotional factors saw a reversal of fortunes with Hyderabad looking forward the least to getting back home after a long day 82 and having the least control and choice in making changes to their homes 82 On the other hand Mumbai topped the charts on the emotional aspect with the highest affinity to getting back home 932 had the most freedom to express themselves at home 888 and also had the most control and choice in making changes to their homes 88 On the social front Bengaluru scored the highest with respect to having a sense of belonging in the home 92 while DelhiNCR scored the lowest on this parameter 862 Hyderabadis felt that the balance between hosting and private spaces at home was very good 786 while the people of Chennai felt the balance was not good enough 674 which is a 14 per cent difference With respect to happiness in shared activities within the home Hyderabad and Kolkata scored highest with 82 while Bengaluru and Chennai scored lowest 718 which is a significant 1237 difference The data indicates that Hyderabad tops overall home satisfaction but Mumbai leads in emotional wellbeing Bengaluru shines in social belonging while Chennai faces challenges in balancing private and hosting spacesPet families 159 per cent more socially engaged at home than single peopleNuclear families lead the home happiness index with an impressive score of 858 showcasing significant satisfaction in both functional elements like furniture 842 and decor 728 and social interactions with high engagement in shared activities 814 and a strong sense of belonging 911 In contrast individuals living alone reported the lowest overall happiness within the home at 762 with notable deficiencies in functional aspects such as furniture 704 and lighting 73 and a diminished sense of belonging 846 and engagement in shared activities 594 Pet owners enjoyed the highest emotional fulfilment with an eagerness to return home 902 and unparalleled freedom of expression 908 though they alongside nuclear families experienced limited control over home modifications 825 Despite the advantages of communal living joint families struggle with maintaining a balance between hosting and privacy 726 highlighting the complex interplay between living arrangements and facets of home happinessWhile highlighting the insights and key takeaways from the Happy Home Index survey Chaitanya Ramalingegowda cofounder and director of Wakefitco said At Wakefitco weve delved deep into the fabric of Indian homes to understand what truly creates happiness and contentment within living spaces The Happy Home Index 2024 reveals fascinating insights into emotional functional and social factors that shape our domestic lives Intriguingly weve observed that men find a unique sense of joy and autonomy within their personal spaces challenging traditional narratives about domestic happiness Wersquove also seen that pet families and joint families share the strongest bond with their homes He added ldquoThis index is not just a measure of happiness it is a reflection of the evolving Indian home where every piece of furniture and every shared moment tells a story of individual and collective wellbeing We are committed to understanding these stories and aligning our business to address the diverse needs and aspirations of every Indian householdThe Happy Home Index 2024 is an ongoing report and the first edition received over 3000 responses recorded from March 2023 to February 2024 It covers respondents across key metro cities across age groups and various demographics