You were running late, spilled coffee on your report, and didn’t feel prepared for your meeting with your boss. Rough day. Want to cheer yourself up? You can make yourself happier by listening to positive music and making a mental effort to feel better at the same time, according to recent research at the University of Missouri.
The question posed by the study: Could doing something in an attempt to feel happier actually undermine your efforts (because you’re too focused on the end result)? Past research—in which participants tried to be happier while listening to classical music—has suggested that that might be the case.
Researchers conducted two experiments: For the first experiment, half the participants listened to happy-sounding music, while the other half listened to less positive tunes. Within each of the two groups, half of the people were instructed to make a conscious effort to improve their mood. Interestingly, only the people who both listened to happy music and tried to be happier actually experienced a boost.
In the second experiment, participants visited a lab regularly and listened to whatever music they wanted while they were there. Half of the participants made a conscious effort to improve their happiness level while doing so, and the other half didn’t. That first group was the only one to elevate their mood level.
That tracks for study co-author Kennon M. Sheldon, PhD, a professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri: “We’re constantly regulating our mood, doing things to make ourselves feel better, to recover from little things, bad things that go wrong,” says Sheldon. “It makes sense that we would have an adaptive capacity to do that for ourselves so that we’re not just at the mercy of whatever happens to us.”
Researchers say this may work especially well while listening to music since its effects on mood are well recognized—both in research and in everyday life.
While trying too hard to force yourself to have a sunny disposition may backfire, says Sheldon, hitting “play” on some Beyonce and thinking happy thoughts when the day isn’t going your way is definitely a smart strategy.
Women’s Health asked its Twitter followers for their feel-good songs. Check out this happy playlist curated from their answers, and use it the next time you need your own mood booster:
“Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys
“You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates
“Firework” by Katy Perry
“Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch
“Hey, Soul Sister” by Train
“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
“Raise Your Glass” by Pink
“End of Time” by Beyonce
“Beautiful Day” by U2
More from Women’s Health:
The Random Thing That Boosts Your Happiness
2-Minute Happiness Booster
Be Happy—Now!