Did you know that Mondays are named after the Moon? And that, according to an equation invented in 2005, the third Monday of January is likely to be the most depressing day of the whole year? Here’s fifteen interesting facts about the first (or second) day of the week you probably weren’t aware of.

  • Monday means “day of the moon”. In English, and in many other languages as well. When the seven-day week was created during the Roman Empire, about 1,800 years ago, each day was named after a planet. Sunday, the first day of the week, was the day of the Sun; Monday was the day of the Moon, and so on. Today, the etymology of Monday is pretty much the same in many languages (for example, luna and lunes in Spanish, lune and lundi in French, luna and lunedì in Italian).
  • Monday is the most common day for suicide. There isn’t a clear explanation as to why this happens, but it is believed that the start of the week can trigger or intensify depressing thoughts in those who already suffer from severe depression. It has also been estimated that people are most likely to write on suicide forums and groups on Monday morning, between 2am and 5am. We also know that on Mondays heart attacks happen more frequently; this is likely to be caused by the additional stress and lack of sleep on Sunday night.
  • There will be 53 Mondays in 2024 and 2029. The same was true for 2012 and 2018. Typically, this happens when Monday is the very first day of the year: most years have only 52 Mondays as there’s only 52 weeks in a year. So if you’re one of those people who absolutely dreads the start of the week, just be aware you may need an extra session of meditation in 2024 and 2029.
  • Gyms are usually busiest on Mondays. Some gyms are actually closed during the weekend, so it makes perfect sense for members to get their endorphin fix on Monday, after two or three days of inactivity. However, this seems to happen regardless of the opening times — most gym goers like to (or must) exercise on Mondays anyway, either because of their weekly regimen or simply because they feel a bit guilty for eating and drinking whatever they want during the weekend.
  • Muslims are encouraged to fast on Mondays. This is the day in which all sins can be forgiven; Allah forgives every Muslim except two who have abandoned one another. The prophet himself used to fast on Mondays, and when asked why, he would reply that Monday was the day he was born, and the day in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to him.
  • The anagram of “Monday” is “dynamo”. Which is basically a device that generates an electrical current. Interestingly enough, Monday is the only day of the week with an anagram — the letters of the words “Tuesday”, “Wednesday”, etc. can still be rearranged in some way, but you can’t create another single English word with the same letters.
  • The saddest day of the year is Blue Monday. At least according to a press release from Sky Travel in 2005, which stated that the third Monday of January is the day of the year in which people are most likely to experience sadness or even depression. Apparently, this was calculated with an equation that took into account the weather (usually cold, dark, and rainy, at least in the Northern Hemisphere), time since Christmas and until the summer, debt level, and the fact that Mondays mark the beginning of the workweek for the vast majority of us.
  • In Thailand, Mondays are yellow. This comes from an ancient astrological belief, or tradition, which states that each day of the week is protected by a different god, and each god has a different color. For example, Friday would be the day of the planet Venus and its god Shukra, whose color is light blue; Sunday would be the day of the sun and Surya, whose color is red; Monday would be the day of the moon as well as its god Chandra, whose color is yellow.
  • You probably weigh more on Mondays. A study published in the European Journal of Obesity found that, on average, people tend to weigh more on the first day of the week. And even without studies or statistics, it’s likely that most of us tend to put on weight during the weekend simply because we tend to eat more and work or exercise less. And if you also drink alcohol during the weekend, it is even more likely. Perhaps, as we saw earlier, that’s one of the reasons gyms are so busy on Mondays.
  • Mondays are sleep-deprived. Most people are used to waking up early in the morning during the first five or six days of the week, either to work or to study. Then, on Sunday, they typically wake up later, and are less active throughout the day. This means they will also fall asleep later, and when the alarm clock rings, they will inevitably be sleep-deprived. It’s essential to have at least one well deserved day off a week to rest and de-stress, but be aware that waking up too late may disrupt your sleep cycle and ultimately do more harm than good.
  • YouTube was born on a Monday. Ever wondered when one the biggest and most popular websites was born? Although most of its pages and features took months to develop and appear on the site, its domain name — youtube.com — was officially activated on Monday February 14, 2005. Yes. That is the day in which uploading a video of your cat and getting millions of views finally became possible.
  • Those born on a Monday are kind. At least according to astrology. Because each day of the week is associated with a planet or star, the weekday on which you were born could indicate some of your personality traits, or even determine what your best path in life would be. According to this theory, those born on a Monday are born on the day of the moon and the mother goddess Artemis. They, therefore, tend to be kind and sensitive, and care about their friends and family.
  • Monday is the first day of the week. However, this totally depends on where you live. Traditionally and historically, the seven-day week began on Sunday (the day of the sun): Monday was the second day. Today, in countries like the US, Canada, and Japan the week officially begins on Sunday, while in other areas, such as Europe, Monday marks the beginning of the week.
  • Monday is a girl’s name. And it’s quite rare. Currently, the most famous person with this name is Monday Michiru — a Japanese American actress and singer born in Tokyo in 1963. She debuted as an opera singer in the movie Hiraku Onna in 1987 and won the award of Best New Actress by the Japan Film Academy. She released her first solo album in 1991, and has released many others since then. She currently lives in New York.
  • People shop online the most on Monday. And although some online stores will occasionally have offers or sales right after the weekend, this seems to be a general pattern year-round. Specifically, people tend to shop online the most on Monday, either in the morning (even if they’re working at their job), or in the evening, at about 8pm. So if you’ve ever felt guilty for getting your online shopping fix on Monday — don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Do you like Mondays? Or do you hate them as much as Garfield does? Let me know by leaving a comment! 👇