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When Are You Happiest? Ask Twitter

By Leah Zerbe


In an attempt to identify at what time of day and week people around the world are happiest, researchers turned to none other than Twitter.

Analyzing 509 million tweets collected over a two-year period from more than 2 million people living in 84 countries, researchers were able to gain insight into daily and weekly shifts in people's moods.

They found that regardless of culture, people wake up in a relatively good mood but report more negative moods as the day progresses, with a rebound in the evening. Work-related stress may play a role this pattern, but the same pattern is seen even on weekends, suggesting that circadian rhythms are responsible.

Researchers also found that mood was worse at the start of the workweek, but improved later in the week, with a peak in good mood on the weekend.


Read More: 5 Techniques for Bringing Happiness to Your Life



One reason we might feel better on weekends? The morning peak in mood is about two hours later on weekends than it is on weekdays; people are likely in better moods when they wake up naturally, when their bodies want them to rise, than when an annoying alarm clock starts blasting.
Source:
Abstract of Science 333(6051): 1878 (30 Sept. 2011). New York Times (29 Sept. 2011). Discovery News (29 Sept. 2011). HealthDay article (29 Sept. 2011).
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Note: The Rodale Research Feed features new research findings that may include preliminary or unconfirmed results. Check with a healthcare provider, or an appropriate advisor you trust, before making any significant changes based on these reports.



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