January, as we all know, is not an easy month for anyone. The Christmas holidays are over, you can feel arctic temperatures outside your door and the sky is almost always gray (unless you are lucky enough to live near the equator and celebrate with a decorated palm instead of a fir). We have been hearing the same word “Blue Monday” for years now: let's analyze together what it really means.

In English, the term "blue" means sadness, melancholy and the Blue Monday indicates the saddest Monday of the year which occurs every third week of January. This definition was invented by the psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2005 who, to calculate the precise date, took into account the following variables: the good intentions that have already been abandoned, the unfavorable weather conditions, the lack of motivation and the Christmas celebrations now behind us. Looking for a positive reading of this equation, it could be said that after this day everyone's mood can only improve. In fact, there is also the Happy Day which would coincide with the days of the summer solstice, between 21 and 24 June.

In the end, it's always Monday that ruins our mood. We are taught to hate Monday mornings from an early age, when we understand that the weekend to play with friends is too short and the week to solve math problems is too long. The Monday alarm clock knocks us out of bed mercilessly week after week. Among the triggers there is certainly the lower amount of light that can cause, among other things, a vitamin D deficiency. In order to provide the body with sufficient vitamins, it is recommended to eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. So what to do to find the right energy and motivation to better face the dreaded Blue Monday? Here are a few simple but effective tips below.

• - Make a pleasant commitment for Monday: waiting for the happy event will make the hours before it more bearable.
  
  
• - Prepare yourself a delicious snack for your lunch break (always carry one of our Bud Power bars, colorful and delicious, ideal for any time of day).
  
  
• - On Sundays try to rest and above all not to end up watching TV for hours all night. Better take the opportunity to start that book that many have recommended to you and prepare yourself a nice hot tea ideal for relaxing tensions and warming up.
  
  
• - Do not postpone the alarm: stealing those 5/10 minutes can make the difference in making you face calmly or not the first hours after waking up.
  
  
• - Try to set aside some time for your favorite sport.
  
  
• - Turn on the music and start your good mood playlist.
  
  
• - Dedicate yourself to your favorite hobby or that most relaxes you, even for just half an hour a day.

You can grab your dose of energy HERE!

By: Alessandra Grimaldi
Content Editor