The Most Depressing Day Of The Year

The original date of "Blue Monday" was mathematically calculated in 2005 by Dr. Cliff Arnall a researcher at Cardiff University. In 2005 Blue Monday fell on January 24th which was the 4th Monday of January. (MSN:news/Jan. 24, 2005 called worst day of the year).

Mr. Arnall created his formula for the most depressing day of the year by working six distinct factors into the equation: weather conditions (Gloomy old January and its typical lack of sunshine), debt level and our ability to pay that debt, time elapsed since Christmas, time elapsed since failing our New Years resolutions, our general seasonal motivational levels, and our need to take action and to have something to look forward to( During January, and depending on where you reside, there are no statutory holidays in the fore-see-able future. Gasp!).

It was calculated that most of these events would come into play by the third week or 21st day within the month of January.

The Monday that begins the last full week in January has traditionally been calculated out to be the most depressing day of the year. "Blue Monday" fell on January 24, 2005, January 23 in 2006, January 22 in 2007, January 21 in 2008, but in 2009 it may have occurred on January 19 instead. A week earlier than it's usual appearance. Thrown into our emotional state of mind was the current gloomy economic picture...

This trend may have continued into 2010 as large numbers of individuals once again decided to celebrate Blue Monday earlier than it was usually calculated to return. But whether you celebrated on January 25, 2010, or January 18, 2010, rest assured that the most depressing day of 2010 is now long past. It appears though that the earlier trend for depression has also passed and January 24, 2011 was the next Blue Monday celebrated. So have all these statistics got you all excited in anticipation of January 23, 2012 which will be our next most depressing day of the year?

The good news about knowing the facts on the most depressing day of the year is that it does somehow manage to take the sting out of Blue Monday. It is the one day each year when you can feel totally free to sit down, and have a really great "feel sorry for me day", and not feel guilty about it. Everyone else is doing it too, and after all, it is expected from us. So go on and feel free to celebrate this most momentous of all seasonal holidays and have a really good cry when good old Blue Monday rolls around next time.

Traditionally Blue Monday has fallen on the Monday which begins the last full week in January but in 2009 the economic depression may have caused many individuals to celebrate a little earlier than the norm.

Predictors were handing out two dates for the most depressing day of 2009...January 19 and January 26. Confusion reigned world wide as to which date was indeed the actual most depressing day of the year? For 2010 this trend continued but it is difficult to tell which date is the accurate one as both predicted days seemed to have picked up there fair share of tears.

Comments left on this article indicate that both of these predicted dates had their fair share of depressed individuals...

Traditionally Blue Monday has appeared on the Monday that begins the last full week in January, but in 2009 something changed, and Blue Monday came early that year. People could not wait for the 21st day of the month to arrive, they celebrated Blue Monday a week early, and officially dubbed January 19th as the most depressing day of the year.

The trend seemed to be continuing into 2010 with a large number of people celebrating early, and dubbing January 18 as the most depressing day of the year, rather than January 25th. Hmmm? This would lead one to conclude that it was the current economic recession which accounted for these somewhat early bouts of depression. So did this trend of going into depression a week earlier than originally predicted continue into 2011?

Comments on this article indicate NO. Although there were more visitors to this site in 2011 than in previous years, there was a much more upbeat tone of voice in the comment section as well, way to go guys.

Actually I am glad that someone came up with the reasoning behind my seasonal moodiness because I was under the simple impression that I was just being plain old grouchy.

It may sound strange but I am more than slightly relieved to discover that I am actually scientifically depressed. I would never have guessed this otherwise. So thank you Dr. Arnall for that bit of enlightenment. There is nothing more rewarding than discovering that I am capable of celebrating the most depressing day of the year in the perfect holiday mood. Ha!

Actually it is nice to know that there is a valid reason for my seasonal moodiness and that I am not alone in suffering the effects of seasonal depression. It means that it is actually okay for me to be feeling a little moody during the month of January. The winter blues are normal behavior for this point in the year which means that I am absolutely positively normal (or as normal as I am capable of being that is).

I just hope that everyone else is as excited about this much celebrated date as I am. I have been looking forward to Blue Monday throughout the bulk of last year, and as the Christmas season wound down, I found myself getting geared into the perfect mental attitude to celebrate the most depressing day of the year.

So for anyone else who may find themselves in a slightly bluer than usual mood in January each year, relax, you are not alone. You are probably just gearing up to join me in celebrating the most depressing day of the year "Blue Monday".

It is highly unlikely that you can avoid feeling a little lower in spirits on the most depressing day of the year, but don't despair, there is just the remotest itty bitty teeny weeniest chance that you might be lucky enough to squiggle out from under that all too heavy weight of statistical evidence.

You could be the one individual who stands out from the crowd and actually has an absolutely fantastic mood on Blue Monday. You could win the lottery the week before Blue Monday hits, that would sure help you to avoid it's nasty effects, or you could discover that the person you have been secretly admiring for all these years is actually crazy head over heels in love with you.

Odds are though that neither one of these all so wonderful events will happen to you and odds are that you will indeed get depressed on Blue Monday. Oh darn!

Most people think that happy people just smile and laugh a lot more than the rest of us. Being "happy" actually happens the opposite way around. The more we smile then the happier we get.

Now this is a very important little tip for those who just may not be as happy as they should be. Just in case you didn't know it, your brain does an amazing thing when you smile or laugh cause it releases a little chemical that actually gives you a feeling of well being, warmth, and happiness whenever you do one of these things. So the truth is that smiling and laughing as often as you can actually does make you a happier person.

If you try to find a reason to smile or laugh whenever you can then you just may wind up being a much happier person. There are plenty of ways to get you smiling, giggling, or just overall feeling goofy but you have to figure out the methods which work best for you.

(It took me a heck of a lot of researching to come up with the simple fact that looking happy actually does makes you happy. Interesting stuff huh?)

To soften the blow a bit, and keep yourself a little saner during rotten old January...

1. If you have holidays due, and can afford a really nice vacation then take them in January, and travel off to somewhere nice and sunny.

2. Increase your exercise during the winter months. This is usually when our activity levels decrease, and added weight, boredom, and too much time spent thinking only add to depression. Consider indoor activities in the winter. Things like bowling or swimming, joining a gym or fitness center, buying a treadmill, stepper or weights, and using them.

Get out there and go for a walk. It is a proven fact that exercise decreases depression.

3. Get outside for a walk or get under lights which simulate sunshine. In winter months not only is there less sunshine beaming down on us, but we seem to be avoiding it whenever we can, we have a tendency to hibernate indoors as much as we can to avoid the cold winter months. This only increases our need for sunshine during the dull shortened days of winter, and we actually become bluer, and bluer, and bluer because of it....sigh. Just stop it, and keep getting your fair share of the sunshine, even if it is imitation...

4. Phone up a friend and meet them for a nice hot beverage at your favorite local restaurant.

5. Do something that you have been putting off. Like cleaning the basement, baking up a batch of cookies, or writing that best selling novel.

If these tips fail and you are forced to drag your moody self out and participate in "Blue Monday" then relax. Grab a cup of tea, or one of those tall cold drinks that we are advised not to have too many of, and join me in the celebration.

I'll be sitting at my computer, with a special little something to drink in one hand, and a Kleenex in my other.

A big thank you to the creator of the smiley. The first smiley was created in 1963 by Harvey R. Ball. Mr. Ball was co-owner of a public relations firm and he created the smiley to help improve the morale of workers within a recently merged insurance company.

The original design of a happy smiling face on a black background was to become famous, yet Mr. Ball never applied for a trademark, or copywrite for his creation. He received a total of $240.00 for the entire smiley campaign.

His son Charles Ball, quoted him as saying, "Hey, I can only eat one steak at a time, drive one car at a time". Mr. Harvey Ball was simply content to have his smiley out there making people smile..."Power Of A Smile". In 1999 Mr. Ball initiated the first "World Smile Day", and pinpointed the first Friday in October, as the date that it was to occur on. The motto for this event is "Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile".

It was Mr. Ball's hope that everyone could set aside at least one day of the year to devote to smiles and acts of kindness. For more information on this day please stop by and visit the Official World Smile Day Site. To honor his name and memory "The Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation" was created. You can visit the official site at www.worldsmile.org.

When you participate in pleasurable activities like smiling, laughing, exercising or playing, your brain does an amazing thing and releases a little chemical message known as an endorphin.

These endorphins are feel good messages that have the power to actually remove physical and emotional pain. They travel down the spine, and then throughout your body, sending a feeling of well being as they go. These endorphins not only have the ability to relieve pain but they also have the power to make you feel happy.