The Most Depressing Day of the Year

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The Most Depressing Day of the Year

How failed New Year's resolutions, debt and weather conditions lead to a peak in depression.

By Maia Szalavitz for MSN Health & Fitness

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Poets, publicists and psychiatrists all have their candidates for the bleakest time of the year. According to one equation devised by Dr. Cliff Arnall, a British researcher from Cardiff University, Jan. 18 is 2010’s most depressing day. His formula for this bleak prediction takes into account factors like post-holiday blahs and debt, failed New Year’s resolutions and, this year, the nasty chill that has reached much further south than usual. This particular peak in seasonal affective disorder (SAD) isn't the only time that we're prone to feeling low.

via health.msn.com

I was wondering why I was feeling down today. The house is organized and picked up. The kids have been playing with friends all day (at someone else's house). It's a shortened work week with today's holiday. The weather here is balmy. But still...blah. Now I know-it's the most depressing day of the year! So, if I can get through today, I can get through any day. I'm feeling better already!

Comments

[Joy]

well, that's encouraging! It's all uphill from here. :)

[Tammy]

This was very interesting!

[Andrea]

It's always good to find a reason for a feeling. I recommend a walk and some ice cream, not necessarily in that order! Feel better soon!

[Dawn]

I just realized I hadn't seen a post from you in awhile, checked your blog, and realized your feed wasn't showing up on my reader! Since this post was a few days ago, I hope that you're feeling much better. That article makes a lot of sense.