If you’re looking to improve your mood, you might want to consider moving east. A new study found a majority of the happiest Americans live in either the central or eastern parts of the country.
NowPatient conducted an analysis of all fifty states to find where Americans were happiest and found people living in South Dakota enjoy the cheeriest moods.
In that state, just 24 percent of adults report they suffer from an anxiety or depressive disorder.
The online pharmaceutical company said South Dakota is one of the friendliest states and residents spend a lot of time outdoors enjoying nature, which improves mood.
The state’s happy mindset may also be because a large majority of residents report being highly physically active (75 percent) and getting the recommended hours of sleep (72 percent). South Dakota also has a slightly higher-than-average life expectancy of 76.7 years.
At the bottom of the list is West Virginia, where 40 percent of adults report having an anxiety or depressive disorder
Following South Dakota, South Carolina, Delaware and Wisconsin residents all also reported good moods.
In South Carolina, 25 percent of people reported having an anxiety or depressive disorder. In Delaware and Wisconsin, that number is 26.3 percent.
South Carolina sees its residents enjoy warm weather, beaches and a vibrant cultural scene. Delaware is considered one of the best places to retire, with nice weather and plenty of scenic outdoor spaces. Wisconsin also has wide open spaces to explore and has a lower cost of living than the US average, according to NowPatient.
Approximately three-quarters of residents in all top four states report being physically active and about two-thirds report getting enough sleep.
And all but one of the top four states, South Carolina, sees a higher life expectancy than the US average.
At the bottom of the list is West Virginia, where 40 percent of adults report having an anxiety or depressive disorder. In Louisiana, that number is 39 percent and Oklahoma and Alaska are at 38 percent.
The happiest states appear to be those where residents enjoy warm weather, participate in a lot of exercise and are friendly to their neighbors
This isn’t the first time West Virginia has sunk to the bottom of a list ranking happiest states.
Previous research has found high unemployment, violent crime, limited access to exercise opportunities and disconnected youth all contribute to the coal mining state’s lack of cheer.
And previous research has shown the Mountaineer State also has the highest rates of depression in the US. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, 27.5 percent of West Virginia residents are depressed.
The CDC research showed levels of depression were higher in women, younger adults and adults with lower education levels.
Twenty-four percent of women, compared to just 13 percent of men, reported having experienced depression.
Societal factors could be to blame for West Virginians’ blue moods.
Adults in the Appalachian region tend to have lower incomes, higher poverty rates, and lower education levels, all of which can negatively affect health and well-being, according to the CDC study.
Researchers for the NowPatient analysis used data from hospitals, Google searches, the CDC and population studies to determine each state’s ranking.
