Blue Monday and the hope we hold onto

Monday 19th January 2026 is known as ‘Blue Monday’, Woman Alive deputy editor, Jemimah Wright explains the background of the day, and gives some biblical hope for you if you are feeling low.

The 19th of January is often referred to as Blue Monday, a day popularly labelled as the most depressing day of the year. While the idea is not rooted in medical science, it has become part of modern culture and resonates with many people’s lived experience. The term was coined in the early 2000s through a marketing campaign that combined factors such as cold weather, post-Christmas financial strain, fading New Year’s resolutions, and the long stretch until spring. Whether or not the formula behind it is credible, the feelings associated with Blue Monday are very real.