Want a failsafe way to feel less frazzled? It can be as simple as plugging yourself into your iPod or switching the radio on. Research has shown that listening to your favourite music for just 30 minutes a day can lower blood pressure and help you relax. Want some recommendations? Here's our pick of the very best tunes to help you chill out...

By Jane Murphy

It's hard to hear 'Nessun Dorma' without thinking about Gazza crying in the 1990 World Cup semi-final - but this operatic classic has actually been proven to lift the spirits. Researchers at Italy's Pavia University found its many crescendos and diminuendos had discernible effects on mind and body, which could even be used in stroke rehabilitation.

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Guilt-free pleasures: go for it!

No matter how bad your day's been, you'd be hard-pushed not to feel just a little bit cheery after listening to this 1973 Carpenters favourite. It's been covered numerous times - check out Japanese girl-band Shonen Knife's version on YouTube - but we still think Karen and Richard's original is the best.

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Guilt-free pleasures: go for it!

Been rushing about with no time to stop and think? This is the ultimate slow-down song. In fact, it's impossible to listen to Ella's soulful voice without sitting back and sinking into a daydream. Listening to slower-tempo songs helps lower blood pressure and promote relaxation, according to research.

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You may not have heard of indie pop duo The Boy Least Likely To - but their super-cute, sing-along tracks are just-what-the-doctor-ordered mood-lifters. We defy you to listen to 'I'm Glad I Hitched...' without smiling - and perhaps allowing yourself a little dance round the room!

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Guilt-free pleasures: go for it!

People with mild hypertension who listened to traditional Indian raga music for half an hour each day showed significant reductions in their blood pressure, according to recent research. This 16-minute morning raga from legendary sitar-player Ravi Shankar consists of three movements: a traditional solo followed by a slow duet and then a frenzied 16-beat finish. Perfect!

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When this old world starts getting you down, we wouldn't advocate getting up on the roof - it's far too dangerous! But listening to this Drifters classic is guaranteed to cheer you up instead. Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, the classic track has featured on numerous All-Time Greatest Songs lists - and with good reason.

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Guilt-free pleasures: go for it!

You might think that a mixture of Gregorian chants, dance beats and sexual overtones would deteriorate into a confusing cacophony - but you'd be wrong! This 1990 track by electronic music maestros Enigma is a gorgeous, drift-away chillout tune that's perfect for calming the mind.

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Guilt-free pleasures: go for it!

Of course, 'Days' was originally a hit for The Kinks - but there's something about Kirsty's gentle, understated voice that gives it an extra relaxing edge. Even if you're stuck in the office or squeezed on to a packed train, this is the kind of song that makes you feel like you're lying in the garden on a sunny day.

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Guilt-free pleasures: go for it!

Perhaps better known as the 'Drinking Song', this fabulous duet from Verdi's opera is full of uplifting highs and calming slower moments that will have you swaying along with the music. Italian researchers recently found that operatic numbers such as this have a positive effect on heart health.

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Guilt-free pleasures: go for it!

The closing song from Monty Python's 'The Life of Brian' is another sing-along, sway-along, giggle-along classic - and can't fail to help you relax and cheer up. Incidentally, 'Always...' recently topped a poll to find the UK's favourite 'alternative' funeral song because it helped people to... well... look on the bright side during their darkest hours!

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Guilt-free pleasures: go for it!