Blue Monday: Why It's A 'load Of Rubbish'

Christmas is over, it's acold and acheronian extracurricular and you whitethorn beryllium successful an endless rhythm of doomscrolling.

Blue Monday - besides known arsenic nan astir depressing time of nan twelvemonth - has been trending online.

According to TikTok, nan number of posts tagged pinch nan word has grown year-on-year to 68,600 - a 35% increase.

It mightiness consciousness relatable aft nan past twelvemonth but, unsurprisingly, there's thing technological astir it.

The sanction was reportedly coined by scientist Cliff Arnall successful 2004, it falls connected nan 3rd Monday successful January each year.

This has been disputed by others complete nan years.

He came up pinch it aft a vacation institution asked him for a "scientific formula" for nan January blues.

Sophie West, from Kent, has suffered pinch panic attacks and worry since nan property of seven.

The 28-year-old thinks labelling 1 time a twelvemonth tin beryllium damaging for group dealing pinch their intelligence wellness issues.

"I deliberation Blue Monday is simply a load of rubbish to beryllium honest. A wholly made-up trading gimmick - it's conscionable a explanation connected an mean day," Sophie told BBC Newsbeat.

"But nan messaging astir it being nan 'most depressing time of nan year' tin beryllium daunting for group who already person a intelligence illness.

"We each person our bully and bad days and they person thing to do pinch a random made-up time successful January.

"I for illustration to scheme up - truthful if I look astatine a time and spot that it's labelled nan astir depressing time of nan twelvemonth I'll get anxious astir that and deliberation that I request to beryllium happy connected that day."

Dr Philip Clarke, a elder teacher successful psychology astatine nan University of Derby, agrees.

"I started speaking retired against Blue Monday erstwhile I saw companies were trying to usage it arsenic an excuse to waste things," he told Newsbeat.

"I tin understand why group would consciousness down successful January, you've conscionable travel disconnected Christmas - spending a batch of clip pinch family, overindulging and it's a batch darker outside.

"The cardinal point to retrieve is that Blue Monday isn't scientifically proven - there's not moreover impervious January sees a emergence successful intelligence wellness referrals though it whitethorn look that way," he said.

However, he feels a "really beardown benefit" of nan conception is that it does get group having those "difficult conversations" astir slump and worry and "what you tin really do to thief pinch that".

There person been suggestions to move Blue Monday into Brew Monday - pinch intelligence wellness kindness Samaritans encouraging a chat pinch family and friends complete a virtual cup of tea.

Although Philip thinks it's important not to confuse emotion debased pinch depression, he has tips everyone tin usage for amended intelligence health.

- Exercise

"Exercise is simply a awesome point group tin beryllium doing arsenic it releases happy endorphins and chemicals. It doesn't person to beryllium workout successful nan gym because that tin beryllium off-putting for immoderate people," he said.

"It conscionable astir expanding your beingness activity."

- Assess your New Year's resolutions

"A batch of group neglect their New Year's resolutions wrong 2 aliases 3 weeks," he noted.

"But if you person failed, look astatine why and usage that arsenic a learning experience.

"This gives group dream that they tin still activity towards a extremity for nan twelvemonth and not hit themselves up astir it."

- Volunteering

"One logic group emotion Christmas isn't needfully nan receiving, but nan pleasance they get from helping people," he added.

"This tin beryllium a bully measurement to get a happy boost pinch nary financial implications."

• You tin sojourn BBC Action Line for further thief and support.

A type of this communicative was past published successful 2025.