What to Do to Overcome Blue Monday Syndrome

You’ve probably heard of Blue Monday. And maybe you have also received a few emails of promotions that propose you to buy to overcome your syndrome. But do you know what it is?

As the name suggests, Blue Monday is the most depressing and sad day of the year. But how did this phenomenon arise? Is there any truth to that?

In this article, we will answer all your questions about Blue Monday and what you can do to avoid falling into its trap.

What does it mean and what is Blue Monday syndrome?

Blue Monday is a term that refers to the feeling of depression and sadness that many people experience on Mondays. On this idea, Dr. Cliff Arnall determined that the third Monday in January was the most depressing day of the year.

When did the concept of Blue Monday originate?

In English, the word blue is not just the name of color but is used as a synonym for sadness. From here, you will understand that there is no time when the term was coined. But there is a moment in which the theory begins to be formulated that there is a day that is the saddest of the year.

Was it just a well-orchestrated marketing operation or was there scientific evidence behind it?

On the origin of this “syndrome,” there are different versions. What we know is that in 2005, Sky Travel, a Canadian travel company, released a press release that spoke for the first time about Blue Monday. In the statement, he appeared on behalf of Dr. Cliff Arnall as the author of a formula that showed that the third Monday in January was indeed the saddest day of the year.

Then came the speculations. Was it just a well-orchestrated marketing operation? Had Arnall received compensation to sign a scientific study that had nothing scientific about it?

We ignore this. But the idea of a Blue Monday has quickly begun to gain traction after it was picked up by the newspapers and published as if it were a scientific study. Since then, many countries have adopted their own version of Blue Monday, with different dates and different causes for sadness.

What are the psychological reasons for Blue Monday?

Even so, there are some aspects that support and justify the idea that we feel sadder on a specific day.

So, to understand Blue Monday, it’s helpful to understand what causes it:

• Seasonal Affective Disorder is one of them. It occurs when there is less exposure to sunlight than usual during the winter months and can lead to feelings of sadness and lethargy. It is more common in the northern regions, where daylight hours are shorter than at other times of the year. Lack of mood is due to reduced serotonin levels caused by longer nights with fewer opportunities to socialize or spend time outdoors during daylight hours.
• Stress is the first factor to consider when you have physical, mental, and emotional discomfort since being under pressure can take its toll (especially if you suffer from it for long periods).
• The feeling of failure. If you’ve suffered a setback or disappointment recently (for example, missing a job opportunity or a personal disappointment), you may feel like everything is going wrong in your life at once and nothing will get better. You know it’s not, but the feeling is very real.
• Post-vacation syndrome. One of the reasons that place Blue Monday on the third Monday of January is the sum of factors involved in the return to routine. Returning to more frenetic paces, and expenses after the holidays, are all factors to consider.

Ways to overcome the blues of Blue Monday

There are ways to overcome the blues of Blue Monday (and winter or Mondays in general) that seem obvious, but they are not:

• Exercise. You don’t have to be a gym rat to make exercise part of your daily routine; Even a little bit will help you feel better.
• Enjoy your friends or family. Share experiences, talk, organize something special… Sometimes you just need to share time with your loved ones, a good meal, and an after-dinner to have a laugh.
• Make a to-do list. It does not serve you only to not forget what you have to do, but it frees up mental space. If you make a list of tasks for the day after bed, your mind will not be working to try to remember during the night, and you will rest better.
• Break large tasks into smaller ones and cross them out as you finish them. Marking the tasks you complete gives a sense of success that will motivate you to move forward.
• Set realistic goals. Don’t expose yourself to failure by taking on too many things at once or trying something new without giving yourself time to learn first. New year’s resolutions are fine, but not if they are a magic wand.
• Take a breath. It’s not all about meeting goals. Find an activity that relaxes you to enjoy your time, such as a massage or a spa circuit… A small luxury that boosts your well-being.

• Be nicer than necessary. This could be the mantra for the whole year.
• Try a new experience, such as a tasting, a meeting in nature, or trying a gastronomy you do not know. This will shake your mood and help you get through the winter lethargy.