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

Men find more joy emotionally as well as with their living spaces, indicating a distinct happiness in their homes. Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: istock

Indian sleep solutions company Wakefit.co recently unveiled The Happy Home Index 2024, drawing insightful findings on Indians' relationships with their homes, The report has been devised to understand the interplay between various aspects that contribute to making a happy and safe abode.

Through the report, Wakefit.co aims to build thought leadership in the home solutions space and seeks to address the intricate preferences and challenges faced by varying demographics and cities.

With 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 people's 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 self-expression, 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 home

On a scale of 10, India scored 8.2 on the overall happiness levels within the home. Key findings from the Index also reveal that emotional well-being is at the heart of home happiness (8.54), despite functional (7.54) and social (7.9) shortfalls. While homes are cherished as sanctuaries of happiness, relationships with inanimate objects like furniture (7.64), decor (7), and lighting (7.98), show relatively lower happiness scores.

Further findings and observations from the report have been elucidated below.

Men 16 per cent happier with freedom to change things at home
Contrary to popular opinion, the report indicates that men (8.3) seem to be happier within their homes as compared to women (7.78). Based on the report's 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 autonomy.

Gen X 16.7 per cent happier with their homes than Gen Z
The report indicated that individuals over the age of 45 were 16.7 per cent happier in their homes as compared to 18-25 year olds. It also indicated 45+ year olds were 6 per cent more eager to return home than 18-25 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 (7.9) was relatively lower than their emotional (8.87) and social (8.12) happiness.

City 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 (8.54). However, happiness with emotional factors saw a reversal of fortunes, with Hyderabad looking forward the least to getting back home after a long day (8.2), and having the least control and choice in making changes to their homes (8.2). On the other hand, Mumbai topped the charts on the emotional aspect, with the highest affinity to getting back home (9.32), had the most freedom to express themselves at home (8.88), and also had the most control and choice in making changes to their homes (8.8). On the social front, Bengaluru scored the highest with respect to having a sense of belonging in the home (9.2), while Delhi-NCR scored the lowest on this parameter (8.62). Hyderabadis felt that the balance between hosting and private spaces at home was very good (7.86), while the people of Chennai felt the balance was not good enough (6.74), which is a 14 per cent difference. With respect to happiness in shared activities within the home, Hyderabad and Kolkata scored highest with 8.2, while Bengaluru and Chennai scored lowest (7.18) which is a significant 12% difference. The data indicates that Hyderabad tops overall home satisfaction, but Mumbai leads in emotional well-being. Bengaluru shines in social belonging, while Chennai faces challenges in balancing private and hosting spaces.

Pet families 15.9 per cent more socially engaged at home than single people
Nuclear families lead the home happiness index with an impressive score of 8.58, showcasing significant satisfaction in both functional elements like furniture (8.42) and decor (7.28), and social interactions, with high engagement in shared activities (8.14) and a strong sense of belonging (9.11). In contrast, individuals living alone reported the lowest overall happiness within the home at 7.62, with notable deficiencies in functional aspects such as furniture (7.04) and lighting (7.3), and a diminished sense of belonging (8.46) and engagement in shared activities (5.94). Pet owners enjoyed the highest emotional fulfilment, with an eagerness to return home (9.02) and unparalleled freedom of expression (9.08), though they, alongside nuclear families, experienced limited control over home modifications (8.25). Despite the advantages of communal living, joint families struggle with maintaining a balance between hosting and privacy (7.26), highlighting the complex interplay between living arrangements and facets of home happiness.

While highlighting the insights and key takeaways from the Happy Home Index survey, Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, co-founder and director of Wakefit.co, said, "At Wakefit.co, we've 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, we've observed that men find a unique sense of joy and autonomy within their personal spaces, challenging traditional narratives about domestic happiness. We've also seen that pet families and joint families share the strongest bond with their homes.

He added, "This 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 well-being. We are committed to understanding these stories, and aligning our business to address the diverse needs and aspirations of every Indian household."

The Happy Home Index 2024 is an ongoing report and the first edition received over 3,000 responses, recorded from March 2023 to February 2024. It covers respondents across key metro cities, across age groups, and various demographics.