Blue Monday (date)

Blue Monday is a name given to a date stated, as part of a publicity campaign by Sky Travel, to be the most depressing day of the year.

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.^[1] 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."^[2]

According to a press release by a mental health charity,^[3] the formula is:

$\frac{[W + D-d] T^Q}{M N_a}$

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_a. '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.^[1]

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,^[4] 23 January in 2006,^[5] 22 January in 2007,^[6] 21 January in 2008,^[7] 19 January in 2009,^[3] 18 January in 2010. In 2011 there has been confusion about the correct date. Some claimed it was on 17 January 2011^[8] while others say blue Monday was on 24 January 2011.^[9][10][11]

Mr Arnall also says, in a press release commissioned by Wall's ice cream,^[12] that he has calculated the happiest day of the year—in 2005, 24 June,^[13] in 2006, 23 June,^[14] in 2008, 20 June,^[15] in 2009, 19 June^[16] and in 2010, 18th June.^[17] So far, this date has fallen close to Midsummer.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Goldacre, Ben (2006-12-16). "MS = media slut, but CW = corporate whore". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/dec/16/badscience.uknews. Retrieved 2008-01-21. 
2. ^ Goldacre, Ben (2006-11-18). "How GxPxIxC = selling out to your corporate sponsor". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/nov/18/badscience.uknews. Retrieved 2008-01-21. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Campaign aims to help ease January blues British public urged to ‘Beat Blue Monday’". www.mentalhealth.org.uk. 2009-01-13. http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/media/news-releases/news-releases-2009/13-january-2009/. Retrieved 2009-01-13. 
4. ^ "Jan. 24 called worst day of the year". MSNBC. 2005-01-24. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6847012/. Retrieved 2007-03-13. 
5. ^ "Jan. 23 most depressing day of the year: report". CTV. 2006-01-24. http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20060123/depressing_day_060123/. Retrieved 2007-03-13. 
6. ^ "Blue Monday: The unhappiest day of the year". London: Daily Mail. 2007-01-22. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-430389/Blue-Monday-The-unhappiest-day-year.html. Retrieved 2007-03-13. 
7. ^ Booth, Frances (2008-01-21). "Smile! You're not the only one in a bad mood". London: Telegraph.co.uk. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3635353/Smile-Youre-not-the-only-one-in-a-bad-mood.html. Retrieved 2008-01-21. 
8. ^ "'Blue Monday': Today the most depressing day of the year". www.joe.ie. 2011-01-17. http://www.joe.ie/health-fitness/health-fitness-news/blue-monday-today-the-most-day-of-the-year-008758-1. Retrieved 2011-01-17. 
9. ^ "2011 is so bad – we have two Blue Mondays!". beatbluemonday.org.uk. 2011-01-17. http://www.beatbluemonday.org.uk/?p=136. Retrieved 2011-01-18. 
10. ^ "Blue Monday". bluemonday.org. 2011-01-17. http://www.bluemonday.org. Retrieved 2011-01-18. 
11. ^ "Today is the real Blue Monday". The Guardian. 2011-01-24. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jan/24/blue-monday-good-news. Retrieved 2011-01-24. 
12. ^ "It's the happiest day of the year, formula shows". CTV.ca. 2006-06-23. http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20060623/happiest_day_060623/. Retrieved 2007-03-13. 
13. ^ "Cheer up for year's happiest day". BBC. 2005-06-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/4618209.stm. Retrieved 2007-03-13. 
14. ^ "Smile, it's the happiest day of the year". 2006-06-23. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-06/23/content_624619.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-13. 
15. ^ Smith, Rebecca (2008-06-20). "Today is the happiest day of the year according to Cliff Arnall's maths formula". The Daily Telegraph (London). 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. Retrieved 2008-06-20. 
16. ^ "Here comes the sum... Algebra 'proves' how holiday hopes, heat and high spirits make today the year's happiest". Daily Mail (London). 2009-06-19. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1194089/Why-June-19th-happiest-day-year.html. Retrieved 2009-06-21. 
17. ^ Grant, Alistair (2010-06-18). "Happiness is, today, claims maths equation". Irish Examiner (Cork). http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/happiness-is-today-claims-maths-equation-122804.html. Retrieved 2010-06-18. 

External links

• BBC pages referencing Blue Monday 2005 2009
• AJC page for Blue Monday