Having "fun" can add years to your life

A study has found that over-50s who enjoyed themselves most were a quarter less likely to die early than those with a dull life.

One theory is that happier people will take much better care of their health. A second theory suggest having fun reduces stress hormones and inflammation that trigger illnesses.

University College London experts, reporting in the British Medical Journal, looked at 9365 adults with an average age of 63 over sic years. They checked how much they relished life on three separate occasions. The "fun lovers" were 24 per cent less likely to die young than those who took little satisfaction from life. They allowed for the benefits of wealth, education and overall health.

University College London's Professor Andrew Steptoe said: "The effect is sizeable - trying to enjoy life seems to have real benefits. The message from this research is that simply not being depressed does not mean we are doing great.