Blue Monday, the third Monday of the year, was coined 14 years ago by a PR firm.
But the whimsical campaign seemed to tap into something: many people agreed that they do hit a monumental slump in the second half of January.
By Blue Monday most of us will have broken our New Year’s resolutions and the majority of us still have at least another week or more until we get paid.
You can get why it might not be the most optimistic of times.
But experts say that seeing it a different way - as a moment to take stock of where you're at and how your year is going - can make it incredibly positive.
January can be hard on your mental health but there are some tactics you can employ to feel strong
1. Find THREE good things to boast about
Yes, your trousers might be unusually tight, your bank balance is running on empty, you've got the back to work blues and no time off to look forward to for months.
But try focusing on what you have got to be grateful for rather than what you haven't.
Dr Martin Seligman, director of the Penn Positive Psychology and author of Authentic Happiness, says writing down three positive things that happen to you daily (and why they were positive) helps reduce that stress.
Try it from today.
There is evidence to show both the de-stressing effects of being grateful, especially if you make a concerted effort to document it.
2. Go for mood-boosting foods
Rob Hobson, Head of Nutrition for well-being brand Healthspan, explains that nutrients can help you head off the blues.
'Making small strategic changes to your diet could dramatically reduce mood swings, food cravings, irritability and tiredness – as well as boost your memory and concentration,' he says.
'If you want to feel more upbeat and keep your moods on a more even keel avoid processed foods high in refined carbohydrates (cakes, pastries, pies and many ready meals), skip (or at least cut down on) alcohol and caffeine and make a beeline for mood-boosting foods.'
Mood-boosting foods include:
Salmon (omega 3-rich fish oil may help with symptoms of depression) Lean red meat (keep iron stores up to fight tiredness and fatigue) Mussels (one of the highest sources of vitamin B12 as well as iron) Eggs (great source of B12, a deficiency of which has been linked to low mood and depression) Asparagus (one of the richest plant sources of tryptophan) Bananas (these contain the amino acid tryptophan plus vitamin B6 which helps convert tryptophan into boost-boosting serotonin) Oats (slow release sugars in these help maintain balanced blood sugar levels) Brazil nuts (rich in selenium, a deficiency of which is linked to low mood Pumpkin seeds (rich in magnesium. Low intakes are linked to low mood and depression) Dark chocolate (helps to trigger the pleasure hormone dopamine)3. Be kind
Simple acts of kindness and politeness can improve your mental health and even reduce physical pain according to research.
Check on elderly neighbors, give blood, donate to your local food bank, volunteer locally.
Give up a seat for someone, buy a stranger a coffee, help carry a pushchair up the stairs, start a fundraising event.
A 2006 study by the National Institutes of Health found when people gave to charity it activated the parts of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection and trust creating a kind of 'helper's high'.
4. Get the sleep you dream of
Sleep pattern all out of whack after the festivities?
Being sleep-deprived (generally taken to mean six hours or less a night) is linked to everything from weight gain to a weakened immune system.
It is also likely to make you grumpy and less productive. Avoid booze before bed, lay off the caffeine after 4pm, try to keep your bedtime and waking
