Though checking the news in the morning is a long held American tradition, data shows it’s really, really bad for our mental health. According to 2015 research conducted by happiness researcher Michelle Gielan in conjunction with the Huffington Post, “watching just three minutes of negative news in the morning makes viewers 27 percent more likely to report having a bad day six to eight hours later.”
In a 2011 Ted Talk, psychologist Shawn Achor explained our moods and our outlooks impact our success, and not the other way around. “For untold generations, we have been led to believe that happiness orbited around success. That if we work hard enough, we will be successful, and only if we are successful will we become happy. The opposite is true.” Achor goes on to say that “when we are happy—when our mindset and mood are positive—we are smarter, more motivated, and thus more successful. Happiness is the center, and success revolves around it.”
So… what does that have to do with a playlist? Everything, really. Research has shown that listening to music—a certain kind of music—in the morning can give you a happier, more confident, and more powerful mindset. 2014 research published in Sage Journal found that “music with more bass increased participants’ sense of power.” Combine that with music that’s fun to dance to, and you get the recipe for a confidence-building, serotonin-releasing, endorphin-creating, abstract-thought-encouraging morning playlist that will put you in the mood to get things done.
We’ve compiled a powerhouse playlist for you to groove to while getting ready. By incorporating new hits and beloved classics—all with very catchy, very prominent bass lines —we think we’ve made a playlist that will appeal to a lot of folks (yes! Even kids! Just go for the edited versions of the songs). Take a listen and let us know what you think.
What are some of your go-to feel good songs? Drop a comment below and we’ll add them to our playlist!