Blue Monday isn’t real, but sadness is – and it plays a vital role in children’s development

By Paola Alexandria Pinto de Magalhães, Investigador - Facultad de Enfermería - Desarrollo Positivo de Niños y Adolescentes, Universidad de Navarra
Maider Belintxon Martín, Profesora de la Facultad de Enfermería. Directora del Departamento de Enfermería Comunitaria y Materno Infantil. Área de conocimiento: materno-infantil, Universidad de Navarra
Pablo Tabuenca Agramonte, Doctorando. Atención de enfermería en la infancia y adolescencia, Universidad de Navarra

January can feel exhausting. With the magic of Christmas and New Year fading fast, returning to routine brings with it an undeniable emotional slump. But is it really the saddest month?

The idea of “Blue Monday” caught on in 2005, when British psychologist Cliff Arnall announced that he had identified the saddest day of the year using a mathematical formula that factored in climate, post-holiday debt, and dwindling motivation in keeping up with New Year’s resolutions.

The scientific community quickly…

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