Jan. 22 is 2007 “unhappiest day”–so things are looking up
Researchers in England, citing unpaid holidaybills, rotten weather and people’s realization that they likely won’tlive up to their New Year’s resolutions, say Jan. 22 is the unhappiestday of 2007. Cliff Arnall, a Cardiff University psychologist, devised the depressing formula. Hisequation takes into account six factors: weather, debt, time sinceChristmas, time since failing our New Year’s resolutions, lowmotivational levels and feeling a need to take action. Taken together, they calculate to equal “Blue Monday.” Arnall said that by understanding the main factors for depression, we can prevent becoming unhappy next year. “Usethe day as a springboard for a higher quality life,” he told the LondonDaily Mail. “For example, keeping Christmas spending to a strict budgetnext year will make you less depressed in the last week of January.