In The News

Last Monday morning, January 24^th was not a good day. Each side of the bed was the wrong side. Over the weekend, we had 17" of snow in Kimball Township, Michigan; 12" in Freemont, Indiana and Quinwood, West Virginia; 21" in Rutherford, New Jersey; 22" in Dix Hills, New York; 20" in Windham, Vermont; 38" in Salem, Massachusetts; and on and on. And it was cold, very cold or bitter cold - 10's and 20's; if the temperature reached freezing it was a warm day. Even Atlanta couldn't get above the 40's. The airports were either closed of flights delayed; many highways were closed or accident-prone. But there is more.

MSNBC reported that a British psychologist, Dr. Cliff Arnall, calculated January 24^th was the "most depressing day of the year" and that misery peaked last Monday. Although the study focused on Great Britain, it seems to apply here in the US, and the calculation and solution (in italics) follows:

Dr. Cliff Arnall's calculations show that misery peaked last Monday. Arnall, who specializes in seasonal disorders at the University of Cardiff, Wales, created a formula that takes into account numerous feelings to devise peoples' lowest point. The model is: [W + (D-d)] x TQ M x NA . The equation is broken down into seven variables: (W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failed quit attempt, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take action.

Reality starts to kick in Arnall found, that while days technically get longer after December 21^st, winter weather systems take hold in January. Meanwhile, the majority of people break their healthy resolutions six to seven days into the new year, and even the hangers-on have fallen off the wagon, torn off the nicotine patches and eaten the fridge empty by the third week. Any residual dregs of holiday cheer and family fun have kicked the bucket by January 24^th.

"Following the initial thrill of New Year's celebrations and changing over a new leaf, reality starts to sink in," Arnall said. "The realization coincides with the dark clouds rolling in and the obligation to pay off Christmas credit card bills."

The formula was devised to help a travel company "analyze when people book holidays and holiday trends," said a London-based PR agency. "People feel bleak when they have nothing planned, but once they book a holiday they have a goal, they work toward having time off and a relaxing period," When you imagine yourself on the beach it makes you feel positive. You will save money, go to the gym and come back to the optimism you had at the end of 2004."

Research shows an escape to the sun can have real health benefits. Up to a third of the population, in Britain at least, suffers from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, also known as winter depression, according to MIND, a leading mental health organization in England and Wales. Furthermore, nine out of 10 people report sleeping and eating more during the darker months. While most cases of the winter blues are not severe, 2 percent to 5 percent of those with SAD cannot function without continuous treatment.

However, it's extremely rare to find anyone with the disorder within 30 degrees of the equator, where days are long and the sky is bright year-round, according to MIND.

Thank you Jennifer Carlise, who wrote the article, and MSNBC, where the full article can be found:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6847012/