Should we be feeling blue on ‘Blue Monday’? 3 facts that might change your mind

Happy January, everyone! Said no one ever. The weather is grim, the days are short, money’s tight, and we’re all on a bit of a festive comedown. So, it’s okay if you don’t feel your best.

And all of those gloomy feelings culminate on one horrific Monday, the most depressing Monday, Blue Monday. We’re told the third Monday in January is the gloomiest day of the year, so of course we all feel miserable. But have you ever stopped to think about where Blue Monday actually came from? Is there any real science behind it, or are we just beating ourselves down for no reason?

With this supposedly joyless date looming, we’re joining forces with GetYourGuide to bust those January blues. Let’s take a moment to look back at the origins of Blue Monday and figure out if there’s actually any truth to it (spoiler: there isn’t).

So, here are three things you might not know about the creation of Blue Monday.

Who’s responsible?

Blue Monday was first invented in 2005, when Cliff Arnall, a psychologist and part-time tutor at Cardiff University, shared his ‘discovery’ of the annual day of doom.

Originally published in a press release for Sky Travel, the date was calculated using an equation that worked with factors like weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since the failure of New Year's resolutions, and low motivation levels.

This combination of misfortunes led to the creation of Blue Monday - ‘officially’ the most depressing day of the year.

But does the math really… math?

But hold on. When you look at the equation a little more closely, things don’t seem to really add up.

The whole thing is actually a bit ridiculous. Nothing computes. How can you divide weather by time, and how do you even calculate motivation levels for an entire country, let alone the world? It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Or doing math with figurative concepts, which is exactly what it is.

This revolutionary formula has since been dismissed as pseudoscience. Something to keep in mind if all the talk about Blue Monday is getting you down.

So… why do we even bother?

Essentially, this whole idea of Blue Monday is totally made up.

Even the guy who created it apologised for making January even more depressing than it already is. In a 2018 story by the Independent, Arnall told the reporter that it was “never his intention to make the day sound negative", but rather "to inspire people to take action and make bold life decisions".

Like any day of the year, if you feel down, you feel down. And that’s okay. But don’t let the concept of Blue Monday itself be the thing that makes you feel worse.

Instead, why not seize the day and do something unforgettable this January? Ahead of Blue Monday, GetYouGuide will be on hand to turn your day from blue to bright.

Don’t let Blue Monday get you down. Make this ‘Blue Monday a day to remember, and book your free unforgettable travel experience at GetYourGuide.com today.

To celebrate the news that Blue Monday is a lie, GetYourGuide will be dropping codes on their social media channels and website for FREE experiences on January 15th, so you can treat yourself to some epic adventures.