Today, January 16th, is the “most depressing day of the year.”
The term Blue Monday was started by psychologist who worked out a formula to show how the third Monday in January is especially bad. It takes into account factors including the average time for New Year’s resolutions to fail, the bad weather, debt, the time since Christmas and motivational levels.
In order to feel better, experts say you should embrace the opportunity to turn over a new leaf. Whether it’s a new job, new hobby, new book, January is the time to make those decisions.
To combat feeling low in January, health experts recommend a mix of exercise, fruit and vegetables and vitamin D to help raise mood.
The science behind the January blues is related to the way the body responds to light. The main theory suggests that a lack of sunlight may stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus from working properly. This could impact the production of the hormone melatonin, which makes you feel sleepy.
The production of serotonin could also be affected, further impacting mood, appetite and sleep. Low serotonin levels are also linked to feelings of depression.
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