'Blue Monday': Spanish experts reveal how to survive the gloomiest day of the year
Wednesday, January 21, 2015 @ 11:33 AM
Monday, January 19 - is scientifically proven to be the 'most depressing' day of the year, but experts in Spain have offered advice on how to get through it and insight into why the northern hemisphere is plunged into doom and gloom at this time of year.
A mathematical formula devised by Cardiff University (Wales) researcher Cliff Arnall shows that the third Monday in January - which he calls 'Blue Monday' - is the most miserable of the year north of the equator, based upon the weather, finances, Christmas and motivation levels.
With the excitement of the festive season now a distant memory, the credit card bills from the extra expense it involved and the extra pounds on people's waistlines remain and have to be dealt with - but payday is a long way off and, three weeks into January, the majority of New Year's resolutions about dieting, exercising, giving up smoking or cutting down on alcohol have gone by the wayside.
Along with the 'flat' feeling of the celebrations being over and the aftermath to repair, the weather is usually cold and grey in Europe and most of North America by this point in January.
Arnall's mathematical formula uses 'W' to denote the weather, 'd' to denote debt left behind by Christmas and 'D' for income or money in the bank, 'T' for time since Christmas, 'q' (shown here as º) for 'time since failing New Year's resolutions', 'M' for motivational levels, and Nª for low motivational levels....
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com