Blue Monday
- Lighthouse Counseling Services
- Jan 20, 2025
- 2 min read
Blue Monday is arguably the most depressing day of the year.
Blue Monday occurs every third Monday of January, on January 20. It was first introduced as a marketing tactic for a traveling company that considered residual holiday stress, failed New Year’s resolutions, lack of motivation, and the cold winter to promote travel as a coping mechanism. It’s now used as a day to focus on mindfulness, refocusing, & mental health awareness. The term “Blue Monday” was also coined by psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2004, where he came up with a “formula”.
W = weather
D = debt d = monthly salary
T = time since Christmas
Q = time since failing our New Year's resolutions
M = low motivational levels
Na = the feeling of a need to take action
Though it started as a sort of joke, Blue Monday can be seen as a nod to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), commonly known as Seasonal Depression. There are many ways to cope with Blue Monday & the negative emotions that may come with it.
● Practice Self-Care: Listen to your body and care for what it needs, such as eating well, staying hydrated, being active, relaxing, connecting with others, or trying a new hobby.
● Using a Happy Lamp or getting some sunlight: Winter means less sunlight, which increases the chance of having SAD. The concept of a happy lamp is to trigger the serotonin release that usually occurs with sunlight. Of course, getting as much sunlight as possible is also excellent and can be beneficial.
● Acknowledgment: Understanding your emotions and finding a way to identify them, then steer away from negative thought patterns.
● Reevaluating Goals: Reflect on your New Year’s resolutions and revise them to be more accessible to you, your needs, and your resources.
If trying these things does not improve your winter blues, consulting with a therapist may be beneficial.
“Blue Monday 2025: Awareness Days Events Calendar 2025.” Awareness Days, January 6, 2025. https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/blue-monday-2025/.
Harwood, Sam. “Dispelling the Myth of Blue Monday.” Manchester Mind, January 15, 2025. https://www.manchestermind.org/blue-monday/.
“Is Blue Monday Really the ‘Most Depressing Day’ of the Year?” The Independent, January 17, 2022.
Mica Denman, CSW
385-259-1290
Comments