It figures: Today is year's worst day

By SHELLEY EMLING
semling@coxnews.com
Published on: 01/23/06
London — Having a bad day? No wonder. According to one scientist, today, Jan. 23, is the gloomiest day of 2006.

Cliff Arnall, a health psychologist at the University of Cardiff in Wales, has devised a formula that combines personal and seasonal factors to calculate the year's emotional low point.

Arnall said January is a time when people are simply working and don't have a lot of events or holidays to look forward to.

They are struggling to cope not only with the bleak weather, but also with debts from holiday spending.

It's also a time when people are starting to feel like failures because they've broken their resolutions so shortly after making them.

On paper, the formula looks like this:

W + (D-d) x TQ

———————————

M x NA

The variables are (W)eather, (D)ebt, (d) monthly salary, (T)ime since Christmas, time since failure to (Q)uit a bad habit, low (M)otivational levels and (NA), the need to take action.

"All these elements converge to make for a very unhappy day on the 23rd of January," Arnall said.

He said his formula holds true for the United States as well as Britain, except perhaps in places such as Texas, Florida, or California where better weather could help lift the day's depressing mood.

But Arnall said there are ways to beat the late January blues. Instead of trying to turn over the same old new leaf every New Year's Day, he suggested, why not resolve to make a change in a different month, such as March or April?

"I also advise people to do the unusual every January," he said. "Go for a walk in the woods or just get out and about."

Arnall suggested groups of friends could throw parties to celebrate the 23rd, since being around people you like can boost your spirits.
People also could resolve to make a budget for their holiday spending next December.

Leslie Godwin, a Los Angeles-based author and life transition coach, agreed that January is a tough time of the year. She encouraged people to exercise, whether the weather's bad or not.

"Exercise releases hormones that give us a sense of well-being, and it should be seen as an antidote to feeling down or blue," she said.

But even if you aren't exercising, there is some good news: It's only six months until what Arnall figures will be the happiest day of 2006 — June 23.

"In June, there is a lot more of an emphasis on nature, with plenty of flowers and trees in full bloom," he said. "There's also the likelihood that people are seeing more of their neighbors because of more daylight."

It might be expected that a formula for unhappiness would be created in Britain. According to Ruut Veenhoven, a sociologist at Erasmus University Rotterdam and creator of a new "life satisfaction index,"
Britain is ranked below 20 other nations, including far poorer countries like Ghana, Mexico and Uruguay, when it comes to happiness.

The index, which asked people in 90 countries to rate how happy they were on a scale of 1 to 10, found Malta to be the happiest country, with the United States ranking 13th alongside Guatemala, Norway, and Uruguay.

CarrieMpls said:

This is why I never make resolutions.

Eh I think it's a load of crap. I'm in debt from the holidays and it's raining and snowing today...and I'm not in a bad mood at all. Go figure!

CarrieLee said:

I'm in debt and it's cold as heck outside, but other then feeling abit tired, I'm having a grand day as well.

Hmm and I thought today was a most beautiful day, in my world. .. All is well and everything going good

CarrieMpls said:

See, another one!

all this stuff may be true, but the days are also starting to get longer, which means more sunshine, which for at least some of us (though i'd wager for most or all of us) has a positive effect on our energy and outlook.

Ugh. It wouldnt be gloomy for me if I didnt have such a bad cold IM pumped full of pills but my heads still splitting and my sinuses are so blocked I can barely see! And that wouldnt be so bad if I didnt have three exams this week. Im never gonna study like this!

Buh.

oh boy, i've had gloomier... it's nice and sunny here. a month ago or so my house was burning down, and last week my best friend's 14-year-old son died. then i get a text from another friend, saying her baby is in the hospital...

today is looking up, quite frankly!

CarrieMpls said:

Yay!

PS:

Anx said:

I'm actually in a fantastic mood today

It's my father-in-law's b-day...4 days till my 5th wedding anniversary...the sun is shining (even though it's cold)...and my co-worker just went home leaving me in peace 'n quiet

It's 10:30am and the sun is shining and I get to have Shredded Wheat for breakfast! I'll let you know how the rest of my day goes.

Natsume said:

** eagerly anticipating the reports as the day goes on **

This is insane, cuz I had a REALLY fucking hard night last night. Figures.

TRON said:

I miss you.

CarrieMpls said:

I miss you too! You should come out for my 30th birthday. :hint hint:

TRON said:

When is it?

CarrieMpls said:

2/17. You'd have a free place to stay. :tempt tempt:

i guess u can blame canada (DO NOT start singing that damn song!)

we're having elections today, i gotta go vote soon
new prime minister!

TRON said:

I sooooo would but I'm leaving for London the week after that.

I'll be sure to send you a nice birthday message, though.

SammiJ said:

You're probably right. Canada is right outside my window!

CarrieMpls said:

I would SO love to go to that!

Remind me to tell you something VERY soon. It's VERY important.

SammiJ said:

Sorry Sammi!!

It's gloomy weather outside... but i it


and i feel preety dang fine myself

susannah said:

you did it didn't you?! huh?!

SammiJ said:

You put it in my head!

TRON said:

Well, tell me now, dammit!

CarrieMpls said:

It's too complicated and takes time. Gimme a day or two, k?