The saddest day of the year
How to get through Blue Monday
Blue Monday falls on the third Monday in January every year.
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Today we have every reason to be sad – at least according to the psychologist Cliff Arnall. What is actually behind the “Blue Monday”?
The British psychologist, Dr. In 2005, Cliff Arnall published a formula that supposedly calculates the saddest day of the year in Europe. According to Arnall, the so-called “Blue Monday” always falls on the third Monday in January – this year on January 16, 2023. But what is actually behind the formula and what tips help to survive the most depressing day of the year?
According to Arnall, the saddest day of the year can be calculated using the following factors:
However, the formula has not been scientifically proven and critics dismiss it as a marketing ploy. Arnall developed the formula for “Blue Monday” on behalf of the British travel company “Sky Travel”. In an interview with the “Independent” in 2018 the psychologist explained that he didn’t set up the formula to make the day even sadder, but to motivate people to take their lives into their own hands and look positively into the future.
These tips will help with gloom on “Blue Monday”
There’s no denying that in winter you’re often listless and exhausted. The days are shorter and due to the icy temperatures, people spend most of their time indoors. The body lacks sunlight and that depresses mood. So that “Blue Monday” doesn’t turn into an endless, sad and gray January, Arnall recommends using the time to pursue a new career, make new friends or start a new hobby. He believes the beginning of the year is a great time to make big decisions for the year ahead.
Sufficient exercise outdoors and spending quality time with loved ones also help to boost the serotonin balance and release the so-called “happiness hormone”.