It is hardly surprising that Singapore ranks 34th in the World Happiness Report (Focus equally on citizen well-being and economic growth, by Damian Choo Jing Long; April 10).

Singapore is one of the most expensive cities to live in the world.

High cost of living and money issues add stress to adults and the family.

Work is, perhaps, the most significant source of stress.

Many workers have to deal with advances in technology, unrealistic workloads, too much responsibility, long hours, and authoritarian styles of management.

They also may feel insecure about their prospects for advancement or continued employment, especially for older workers with dependants.

With no specific anti-discrimination laws in place, older workers have no recourse when they are affected by forced lay-offs.

It is no wonder that working adults are too exhausted, frustrated and stressed to consider marrying, starting families, or even dating.

Managing a home can be demanding at the best of times. But providing for loved ones becomes extremely challenging when financial hardships strike.

Adding to this are the hikes in electrical and water tariffs, public transport fares, Certificate of Entitlement charges, and Goods and Services Tax, among other things.

Faced with all this, in the long term, problems could arise that interfere with the family's health, happiness and even ability to stay intact.

All these stressors have a negative impact on both our morale and overall happiness.

Edmund Khoo Kim Hock