When looking at national indicators such as GDP, emotions are often dismissed as subjective or anecdotal. Yet research shows that tracking daily distress among a population may offer a more reliable early-warning signal of fragility than economic indicators.

Last year's data paints a picture of a continent that is more content than sad, though with notable outliers. Most of Europe finds daily joy while carrying an undercurrent of worry and poor rest, suggesting governments would do well to take emotional wellbeing into account to spot warning signs of social unrest, mental health strain, or declining trust earlier than economic data allows.