It's natural to feel a bit down in January, especially after you've returned to work after Christmas and the decorations are packed away for another year.

But there is a particular day of the month considered the most depressing and unsurprisingly, it's a Monday. Boo.

Dubbed Blue Monday, we will shortly be putting together a list of fun things you can do in the area to cheer you up on this horrible day.

But what exactly is it? Why is it a thing? And when might you be needing a dose of bonhomie to get you through the month?

What is Blue Monday?

Blue Monday is a name given to a day in January (typically the third Monday of the month) said to be the most depressing day of the year.

But it can fall on the second or fourth, or even the last week sometimes. The first to be formally designated was January 24, 2005.

There's no strict science behind this discovery, of course.

It was originally conceived by a PR company, but has now become an annual event - an opportunity to do our utmost to defy the odds and have a great day.

When is Blue Monday 2019?

This year it falls on Monday January 21.