A Happier, Healthier Girls' Night Out

Break out your Manolos! Here's how to have a fab time—and still feel fine in the a.m.

We all need the occasional bevy over beer, but be sure to include upbeat friends in your party. Research from Harvard and the University of California, San Diego, found that every happy person in your social circle can raise your spirits by 9 percent.

Wearing spring colors like yellow and pink may help you feel happier and more energized, experts say.

The chips and guac are calling? Try this: Start a convo with a friend who has no problem saying no. “Just thinking about her—how long you’ve known her, what her traits are—that’s enough to help you stay in control,” says Michelle vanDellen, PhD, a visiting psychology professor at the University of Georgia, who has done a number of studies on this surprising effect. “Even just keeping some pictures of people whose habits you admire on your phone could help.” This trick can improve your own willpower by bringing certain thoughts, like self-control, to the front of your mind.

If you see an asparagus appetizer on the menu, order it. The veggie is chock full of amino acids important to metabolizing alcohol, so it may ease hangovers, whether you eat it before or after drinking, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science.