Listening to happy music really CAN make you happier, find researchers

Listening to upbeat songs makes you feel happier, but only if you're actively trying to improve your mood Seeking out happiness can improve health, income and relationship satisfaction
By Victoria Woollaston PUBLISHED: 16:48 GMT, 15 May 2013 | UPDATED: 16:53 GMT, 15 May 2013

Feeling sad or angry? A study from the University of Missouri has confirmed that listening to an upbeat song can lift your mood. But this only works if you're consciously aware you're trying to make yourself happier by listening to the songs. Researchers conclude that actively seeking out happiness through music, and other techniques, can then improve your health and relationship satisfaction.

Researchers from the University of Missouri have found that listening to upbeat music makes you happier, but only if you're actively trying to improve your mood. Seeking happiness improves your health, according to the study

TOP 10 HAPPIEST SONGS

1. Crazy - Gnarls Barkley (pictured) 2. I'd Rather Dance with You - Kings of Convenience 3. Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins 4. Home - Phillip Phillips 5. Hawskmoor 269 - U2 6. Chicken Fried - Zac Brown Band 7. Xanadu - Olivia Newton-John 8. Mean - Taylor Swift 9. Ho Hey -The Lumineers 10. Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes Source: YouMatter: Suicide Prevention If the upbeat music is on in the background, or you're not consciously aware that you're listening to it to boost your mood, the songs have no affect on how you feel. Lead author Yuna Ferguson wanted to study how people can improve their moods by listening to upbeat music. She said: 'Our work provides support for what many people already do listen to music to improve their moods.' However, her study found that when people think to themselves that listening to upbeat music will make them happy before listening to the songs, the songs boost their mood. But if people just listen to upbeat songs, without consciously aware that they are listening to them in a bid to

get happier, the songs themselves have no affect. Over two studies by Ferguson, participants successfully improved their moods in the short term and boosted their overall happiness over a two-week period. During the first study, participants improved their mood after being instructed to do so, but only if they listened to the upbeat music of American composer Aaron Copland, as opposed to the more somber music from composer Igor Stravinsky. Other participants, who listened to the music without being asked to attempt to change their mood, didn't report any change in happiness. In the second study, participants reported higher levels of happiness after two weeks of lab sessions in which they listened to positive music while trying to feel happier. Control participants who only listened to music without being told to feel happier didn't notice a change in their mood. However, Ferguson noted that for people to put her research into practice, they must be wary of too much introspection into their mood or constantly asking: 'Am I happy yet?' 'Rather than focusing on how much happiness they've gained and engaging in that kind of mental calculation, people could focus more on enjoying their experience of the journey towards happiness and not get hung up on the destination.' said Ferguson.

Participants in the happiness study were told to listen to upbeat music, such as scores composed by American composer Aaron Copland, pictured left, rather than somber music composed by Russian Igor Stravinsky, right

Ferguson's work corroborated earlier findings by Ferguson's doctoral advisor and co-author of the current study, Kennon Sheldon, professor of psychological science in the University of Missouri College of Arts and Science. Sheldon said: ' Hedonic Adaptation Prevention model, developed in my earlier research, says that we can stay in the upper half of our 'set range' of potential happiness as long as we keep having positive experiences, and avoid wanting too much more than we have.' 'Yuna's research suggests that we can intentionally seek to make mental changes leading to new positive experiences of life. The fact that we're aware we're doing this, has no detrimental effect.' Ferguson concluded: 'Although pursuing personal happiness may be thought of as a self-centered venture, research suggests that happiness relates to a higher probability of socially beneficial behavior, better physical health, higher income and greater relationship satisfaction.' The study Trying to Be Happier Really Can Work: Two Experimental Studies was published in The Journal of Positive Psychology.

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Comments (25)
Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all I have been listening to loud hard rock all my life. 50 years of such music hasn't affected me...and I kill anyone who says different. - Fritz , Perth, 16/5/2013 15:26 Click to rate Report abuse You don't say? I've known for ages that it's a bad idea for me to play aggressive music when I'm driving. - Frank Lee Mydear , Idontgiveadamn, United Kingdom, 16/5/2013 12:59 Click to rate Report abuse "there are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats" - sal volatile , london, United Kingdom, 16/5/2013 12:53 Click to rate Rating (0) Rating 2 Rating (0)

Report abuse Morrissey!!!! - gamesmaker , suffolk, 16/5/2013 12:46 Click to rate Report abuse Music distracts the mind, stops you from thinking. "Ignorance is bliss." - iliveinyourshed , yorks, United Kingdom, 16/5/2013 11:35 Click to rate Report abuse i found that when i was suffering from a bout of depression at least 60% of it was brought on by depressing music. when i stopped listening i started filling my day with other things and it helped. When i go back to listening to the old songs i liked i start feeling depressed again for no apparent reason as everything is okISH in my life right now...music is very strong. - MarkC , Northamptonshireburger, United Kingdom, 16/5/2013 11:12 Click to rate Report abuse What planet have these researches been living on... I didn't need to read or do study to understand that uplifting music makes you feel good. However, it all about the music, it is diffirent for each of us. What one person may deem uplifting will be different for others. You do not need to do research on this, it has been known for hundreds of years.... Nummpies - Skip , Glasgow, United Kingdom, 16/5/2013 10:55 Click to rate Report abuse Not true, at present the only music my broken ipod will play is One Direction (mistakenly put on as I thought it might be a maps app) - that just makes me want to kill myself. - Actually Is Dolan , Pugs-not-Drugs, United Kingdom, 16/5/2013 10:32 Click to rate Report abuse Try the Grande Polonaise Brilliante by Frederick Chopin Opus 22. - Johhanes , Glasgow, United Kingdom, 16/5/2013 10:20 Click to rate Report abuse Really?!!! I would never have guessed! But then I just speak from experience and haven't had loads of money spent on research to work that out for myself. Geez!!! - Sanwright , London, United Kingdom, 16/5/2013 10:06 Click to rate Report abuse Rating 3 Rating 1 Rating 7 Rating 3 Rating 5 Rating 1 Rating (0)

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