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'''Blue Monday''' is a name given to a date in January stated, as part of a publicity campaign by [[Sky Travel]], to be the most depressing day of the year. However, the whole concept is considered [[pseudoscience]],<ref name="burnett1">{{cite news | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2012/jan/16/blue-monday-depressing-day-pseudoscience | title=Blue Monday: a depressing day of pseudoscience and humiliation | date=16 January 2012 | author=Dean Burnett | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |accessdate=20 January 2014}}</ref> with its formula derided by scientists as nonsense.

== History ==
This date was published in a press release under the name of Cliff Arnall, at the time a tutor at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, a Further Education centre attached to [[Cardiff University]]. ''Guardian'' columnist Dr. [[Ben Goldacre]] reported that the press release was delivered substantially pre-written to a number of academics by [[public relations]] agency [[Porter Novelli]], who offered them money to put their names to it.<ref name="Guardian_1">{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/dec/16/badscience.uknews |title=MS = media slut, but CW = corporate whore |newspaper=The Guardian |date=16 December 2006 |accessdate=21 January 2008 | location=London | first=Ben | last=Goldacre}}</ref> The Guardian later printed a statement from Cardiff University distancing themselves from Arnall: "Cardiff University has asked us to point out that Cliff Arnall... was a former part-time tutor at the university but left in February."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/nov/18/badscience.uknews |title=How GxPxIxC = selling out to your corporate sponsor |newspaper=The Guardian |date=18 November 2006 |accessdate=21 January 2008 | location=London | first=Ben | last=Goldacre |accessdate=20 January 2014}}</ref>

== Date ==

This date allegedly falls on the Monday of the last full week of January. The date was declared by Arnall to be 24 January in 2005,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6847012/ |title=Jan. 24 called worst day of the year |publisher=MSNBC |date=24 January 2005 |accessdate=13 March 2007}}</ref> 23 January in 2006,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20060123/depressing_day_060123/ |title=Jan. 23 most depressing day of the year: report |publisher=CTV |date=24 January 2006 |accessdate=13 March 2007}}</ref> 22 January in 2007,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-430389/Blue-Monday-The-unhappiest-day-year.html |title=Blue Monday: The unhappiest day of the year |newspaper=Daily Mail |date=22 January 2007 |accessdate=13 March 2007 | location=London}}</ref> 21 January in 2008,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3635353/Smile-Youre-not-the-only-one-in-a-bad-mood.html |title=Smile! You're not the only one in a bad mood |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=21 January 2008 |accessdate=21 January 2008 | location=London | first=Frances | last=Booth}}</ref> 19 January in 2009<ref name="mentalhealth1"/> and 18 January in 2010. In 2011 there was confusion about the correct date; some claimed it to be 17 January 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beatbluemonday.org.uk/ |title=Beat Blue Monday 17th Jan 2011 |url=http://www.joe.ie/health-fitness/health-fitness-news/blue-monday-today-the-most-day-of-the-year-008758-1 |title='Blue Monday': Today the most depressing day of the year |publisher=www.joe.ie |date=17 January 2011 |accessdate=17 January 2011}}</ref> while others stated Blue Monday was on 24 January 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beatbluemonday.org.uk/?p=136 |title=2011 is so bad – we have two Blue Mondays! |publisher=beatbluemonday.org.uk |date=17 January 2011 |accessdate=18 January 2011}}</ref><ref name="bluemonday.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.bluemonday.org |title=Blue Monday |publisher=Canterbury College |date=17 January 2011 |accessdate=18 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jan/24/blue-monday-good-news |title=Today is the real Blue Monday |newspaper=The Guardian |date=24 January 2011 |accessdate=24 January 2011}}</ref> In 2012, the most depressing day of the year was said to be 23 January.<ref name="burnett1" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Is Blue Monday the most depressing day of the year... or was it all a marketing scam to make us book vacations? |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087553/Blue-Monday-Most-depressing-day-year-marketing-scam.html|accessdate=23 January 2012|date=16 January 2012 |newspaper=Daily Mail}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Blue Monday is most depressing day of the year, research claims|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/9017631/Blue-Monday-is-most-depressing-day-of-the-year-research-claims.html|accessdate=23 January 2012|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|date=16 January 2012}}</ref> In 2013, Blue Monday was reported to be on 21 January, <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2265639/Most-depressing-day-year-Feeling-Blame-Blue-Monday-2013.html |title=Feeling Down? |newspaper=The Daily Mail |date=20 January 2013 |accessdate=2 January 2014}}</ref> and 20 January in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-430389/Blue-Monday-The-unhappiest-day-year.html |title=Blue Monday: The unhappiest day of the yearRead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-430389/Blue-Monday-The-unhappiest-day-year|newspaper=Daily Mail |date=6 January 2014 |accessdate=6 January 2014}}</ref> <ref name="bluemonday.org" />

=== Calculation ===

According to a press release by a mental health charity,<ref name="mentalhealth1">{{cite web |url=http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/media/news-releases/news-releases-2009/13-january-2009/ |title=Campaign aims to help ease January blues British public urged to ‘Beat Blue Monday’ |publisher=www.mentalhealth.org.uk |date=13 January 2009 |accessdate=13 January 2009}}</ref> the formula is:

:<math>\frac{[W + D-d] T^Q}{M N_a}</math>

where weather=W, debt=d, time since Christmas=T, time since failing our new year’s resolutions=Q, low motivational levels=M and the feeling of a need to take action=N<sub>a</sub>. 'D' is not defined in the release, nor are units.

Arnall says the date was calculated by using many factors, including: weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action.
Writing about the calculation, Ben Goldacre stated: "... the fact is that Cliff Arnall's equations ... fail even to make mathematical sense on their own terms."<ref name="Guardian_1"/> Dean Burnett, a neuroscientist who has worked in the psychology department of Cardiff University, has described the formula as "farcical", with "nonsensical measurements".<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/brain-flapping/2013/jan/21/blue-monday-depressing-day-nonsense-science | title=Blue Monday: a depressing day of nonsense science (again) | date=21 January 2013 | first=Dean |last=Burnett | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |accessdate=20 January 2014}}</ref>

=== Happiest day ===

Mr Arnall also says, in a press release commissioned by [[Wall's (ice cream)|Wall's]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20060623/happiest_day_060623/ |title=It's the happiest day of the year, formula shows |publisher=CTV.ca |date=23 June 2006 |accessdate=13 July 2007}}</ref> that he has calculated the happiest day of the year—in 2005, 24 June,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/4618209.stm |title=Cheer up for year's happiest day |publisher=BBC |date=24 June 2005 |accessdate=13 March 2007}}</ref> in 2006, 23 June,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-06/23/content_624619.htm |title=Smile, it's the happiest day of the year |date=23 June 2006 |accessdate=13 March 2007 |newspaper=China Daily}}</ref> in 2008, 20 June<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2158104/Today-is-the-happiest-day-of-the-year-according-to-Cliff-Arnall's-maths-formula.html |title=Today is the happiest day of the year according to Cliff Arnall's maths formula |date=20 June 2008|accessdate=20 June 2008 | newspaper=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | first=Rebecca | last=Smith}}</ref> in 2009, 19 June, <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1194089/Why-June-19th-happiest-day-year.html|title=Here comes the sum... Algebra 'proves' how holiday hopes, heat and high spirits make today the year's happiest |date=19 June 2009 |accessdate=21 June 2009 | location=London | newspaper=Daily Mail}}</ref> and in 2010, 18 June.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/happiness-is-today-claims-maths-equation-122804.html |title=Happiness is, today, claims maths equation |date=18 June 2010 |accessdate=18 June 2010 | newspaper=Irish Examiner | location=Cork | first=Alistair | last=Grant}}</ref> So far, this date has fallen close to [[Midsummer]] in the Northern Hemisphere (June 21 to 24).

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* BBC pages referencing Blue Monday [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4187183.stm 2005] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7836941.stm 2009] [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-16576438 2012]

[[Category:Monday]]
[[Category:January observances]]
[[Category:Unofficial observances]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience]]

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