El Paso, Are You Feeling Extra Depressed Today? There's A Reason

If you're feeling a little down today, there's actually a reason behind it. Let's explain the phenomenon known as "Blue Monday." At first I thought it was just Mercury Retrograde, but there's another reason I've been feeling down in the dumps more so than usual.

The holidays can always be a rough time for people, and even afterwards there's a sense of sadness at nothing really special to look forward to after all the holiday gatherings. Today is one of the worst days of the year for some, and it even has a name- Blue Monday.

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Blue Monday is the third Monday of January, also known as the saddest day of the year. Blue Monday was the brainchild of U.K. psychologist Dr. Cliff Arnall, according to NBC News. Dr. Arnall same up with idea of "Blue Monday" by looking at seven different variables:

weather
debt
monthly salary
time since Christmas
time since failed quit attempt
low motivational levels
need to take action

The month of January is still cold, with many regions in the country dealing with freezing temperatures and snow. At the beginning of the month people are full of New Year's resolutions and ideas of how they're going to make the new year full of positive changes. By the third Monday of January, many people have given up on their goals and reverted back to their old habits. On top of all these negative things, people are also starting to get those high holiday bills adding extra anxiety to their lives.

There's no scientific reasoning behind Blue Monday, but when you put together all these negative factors, it's easy to see why the idea of Blue Monday is so widely accepted in pop culture. Plenty of people are feeling extra blue now that the holidays have come and gone. Even Dr Arnall who came up with the idea of Blue Monday told CNN he's shocked at how well received the concept was: