Buenos Aires, January 19, 2026 (NA) -- For 21 years, the third Monday of January has been considered the 'saddest day of the year' and is known worldwide as Blue Monday. It is called so because sadness is related to the color blue, and because for millions of people Monday is the 'worst' day of the week due to the return to daily activities after a weekend without obligations, reported Noticias Argentinas agency. The factors that inspired the advertising campaign that coined this day as the saddest of the year are attributed to debts from December shopping, the return to the post-summer or end-of-year holiday routine, and the lack of motivation for unachieved goals. And, although all those factors can indeed contribute to stress and sadness, there is no scientific basis to support this formula. Likewise, one of the main myths is to believe that discouragement appears suddenly and is concentrated on a single day. In practice, emotional discomfort usually builds up gradually, influenced by factors such as accumulated fatigue, the return to routine, work pressure, or unfulfilled expectations after the start of the year. Sadness and depression It is also common to confuse sadness with depression. Feeling low on energy, irritable, or unmotivated for a few days does not necessarily equate to a mood disorder. Specialists agree that there is no evidence to allow affirming that a specific date can define people's emotional state: sadness and discomfort do not follow a calendar. But marketing was so effective that many people do share their 'sadness' and lack of motivation on Blue Monday on social media, although their minds may be deceiving them and they are not as bad as they think. Beyond the Blue Monday myth, it is always a good opportunity to raise awareness about mental health, as we can all feel sadness, anxiety, or stress regardless of the day or month of the year. Even though we have normalized many of these emotions, constantly experiencing them can mean a long-term risk. Mental health without fixed deadlines 'The risk of Blue Monday is to simplify a complex problem. Mental health is not defined by a single day, but by processes that develop over time,' explains Liliana Acuña, a psychologist at CMC Tucumán of Boreal Health. 'Rather than focusing on a date, the important thing is to learn to recognize persistent signs of discomfort and to seek help in time. Early detection allows for better management of emotional conditions,' she added. Knowing your emotional state can help reduce the wearing impact on your health by making decisions such as doing breathing exercises to promote relaxation, asking for help or going to therapy, or simply getting closer to friends and family. Measurement Technology A technology called 'Emotional Wellbeing' was even created, developed by Huawei in collaboration with the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which, unlike Blue Monday, does have a scientific basis. Its operation is simple but effective, as it automatically detects and records emotions in real time through sensors that take physiological indicators that reflect changes in the autonomic nervous system, which helps to assess the emotional state and health trends. This technology is found in the HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Series, WATCH GT 6 Series, WATCH 5, and WATCH FIT 4 Series. There are models capable of detecting up to 12 types of emotional states with just 10 minutes of watch use, unlike others that take at least 30 minutes for the measurement.
