Happiness Index: what it measures

The Happiness Index is a quick way to translate how your week felt into a number you can track. Instead of asking “Am I happy?” (which is vague), it asks about a few practical drivers that usually shape day‑to‑day well‑being: sleep, stress, social connection, meaning/purpose, gratitude/positivity, and energy/motivation. You rate each driver on a 1–10 scale based on the last seven days. The calculator converts those ratings into a 0–100 index plus a readable breakdown.

The point is not to “judge your life.” It’s to create a clear snapshot that makes patterns obvious. If your score drops, you can see why (often sleep or stress). If your score rises, you can see what helped and protect it. Over time, the tool becomes a simple personal dashboard: a way to notice whether your routines, workload, and relationships are supporting you or draining you.

Each 1–10 answer becomes a 0–100 subscore. For most drivers, higher is better: 1 becomes 0, 10 becomes 100. Stress works the opposite way (high stress lowers happiness), so stress is reversed before combining it with the other factors. Then the calculator uses gentle weights designed to feel intuitive: stress and sleep tend to shift mood quickly, connection and purpose matter a lot, gratitude supports resilience, and energy reflects how the week is going overall.

• Sleep (18%) — restorative sleep makes everything easier.
• Stress (22%) — reversed so lower stress increases your score.
• Connection (18%) — belonging, support, and quality time.
• Purpose (16%) — meaning, progress, direction, and values alignment.
• Gratitude (14%) — appreciation and positive focus.
• Energy (12%) — vitality, motivation, and momentum.

Example 1 — “pretty good week”: Sleep 7, Stress 4, Connection 6, Purpose 8, Gratitude 5, Energy 7. This usually lands around the high 60s or 70s. The breakdown shows what to improve next week: often gratitude (small daily wins) or connection (one extra meaningful interaction).

Example 2 — “high stress week”: Sleep 6, Stress 9, Connection 7, Purpose 6, Gratitude 6, Energy 6. Even with solid connection, high stress pulls the score down because it affects sleep quality, mood stability, and your ability to enjoy good moments. The fastest lever is usually stress relief or recovery time.

Example 3 — “meaningful but tired”: Sleep 3, Stress 5, Connection 6, Purpose 9, Gratitude 7, Energy 5. Purpose and gratitude are strong, but low sleep becomes the biggest drag. Improving sleep often raises energy, lowers stress sensitivity, and lifts mood — one change, multiple benefits.

• 85–100: Thriving week — strong basics + good momentum. Keep what’s working and protect routines.
• 70–84: Doing well — solid baseline with one clear lever to optimize.
• 50–69: Mixed week — some supports are strong, but one or two drains need attention.
• 0–49: Needs support — focus on basics first (sleep, stress, connection). Seek help if you’re struggling.

• Weekly check‑in challenge: run it every Sunday and post your score trend.
• Friend compare (no shame): share breakdowns, then each person picks one lever for next week.
• Before/after experiment: “7‑day sleep reset” or “stress‑proof week” and show the score change.
• Story screenshots: the breakdown text is designed to screenshot cleanly.

This tool is for education and self‑reflection only. It is not a diagnosis. If you feel persistently unwell, consider speaking with a licensed professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the Happiness Index scientifically accurate?

  It’s inspired by common well‑being themes, but it’s not a validated clinical test. It’s best used as a structured weekly reflection and a way to notice patterns.

• Why is stress reversed?

  Because higher stress usually reduces well‑being. Reversing it keeps the scoring intuitive: lower stress increases your Happiness Index, higher stress decreases it.

• Should I use it daily or weekly?

  Weekly check‑ins are usually better. Daily scores swing with one great moment or one tough meeting. Weekly snapshots smooth out noise and show real trends.

• Can I change the weights?

  The weights are fixed in this simple version, but you can still use the breakdown to focus on what matters most to you personally. The “lowest driver” is often the most actionable regardless of weights.

• Is my data private?

  Yes. Your answers are calculated in your browser. If you save results, they’re stored locally on this device (localStorage), not sent to a server.

• What should I do if my score is low?

  Choose one small lever for next week. Examples: add 30 minutes of earlier bedtime, schedule one meaningful social interaction, reduce one commitment, or add a short daily walk. If you feel unsafe or in crisis, seek immediate professional help.

• Sleep is lowest: aim for a consistent wake time, reduce late caffeine, and protect a 30‑minute wind‑down.
• Stress is lowest: reduce one task, add a 10‑minute decompression break, and move your body briefly.
• Connection is lowest: text one person, schedule a call, or plan one low‑effort meet‑up.
• Purpose is lowest: set one tiny goal for the week and finish it; progress creates meaning.
• Gratitude is lowest: write 3 “good things” nightly for 7 days — small but powerful.
• Energy is lowest: check basics first (sleep + movement + food) and simplify your schedule.