5 GREAT PLANS FOR BEATING BLUE MONDAY

It’s time to stock up on ice cream and get your movie marathon ready for Monday, 16^th January, which according to various experts, is the most depressing day of the year. That’s right: the dreaded Blue Monday.

But what exactly is Blue Monday? Well, the third Monday in January is traditionally considered the most depressing day of the entire year. In 2005, Cliff Arnall, a professor at the University of Cardiff’s School of Psychology, came to the conclusion that he had discovered a mathematical formula to calculate the most depressing day of the year.

The results of his research showed that the third Monday in January is the day when people feel most down for a number of reasons: the fact that they haven’t received their monthly salary and still haven’t finished paying off Christmas, the weather is dreadful and they’ve already broken their New Year’s resolutions are just some of the reasons behind Blue Monday.

But if you don’t want to join the ranks of the gloomy, don’t worry: Blue Monday will only ruin your day if you decide not to do any of the plans we’ve come up with in this Discover More post. It’s up to you whether you spend the day feeling blue, or have a great time with the plans you’ll find below. Remember too that the more you do, the happier you’ll be!

1. Listen to some music. We’ve all heard of the healing power of music. And there are some songs that make us feel different emotions. So for Blue Monday, choose those that will put a smile on your face or take you back to moments and situations where you had a ball (a wedding, birthday celebration or a holiday). We promise it works!

2. Spend the day with your loved ones.It’s impossible to feel sad when we’re surrounded by people that are special to us. So make the effort to meet up with friends, relatives or go on a date with your partner, and turn the worst day of the year into one of the best. And even though we know we can’t always be physically close to our loved ones, today’s technologies means that we can keep in touch with videocalls or virtual hangouts, so there’s absolutely no excuse!

3. Take time to enjoy your favourite sport. When you’re feeling down, taking some exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing. However, it has been scientifically proved that exercise releases endorphins, which make you feel good, as well as several natural chemical substances in the brain that produce sensations of wellbeing. What’s more, it’s good for your health and will give you an boost of energy to face the day!

4. Have a tasty treat. We all deserve a treat from time to time, and it’s even more satisfying if it’s edible. Why not buy that sweet treat you love, prepare that special dish, or sip that refreshing drink that always manages to cheer you up? If you can’t think of anything you fancy, then we recommend some of the foods that will give your levels of serotonin (the happiness hormone) a boost! They include cherries, bananas, walnuts, chocolate and pineapple.

5. Enjoy the simple things in life. All too often we believe that it’s the big things that bring happiness, but when was the last time you watched the sunset whilst enjoying your favourite hot drink? How long is it since you went for a walk in the countryside or on the beach? In the end, it’s the small things that become life’s greatest pleasures and make you happy, so do them more often and you’ll soon see how Blue Monday or any other day just won’t be able to get you down!