According to a Journal of Positive Psychology study, the first day of the week isn't more of a downer than the rest:
A clear pattern emerged, with people reporting far more positive mood and far less negative mood on Saturdays and Sundays, compared with weekdays… Although not as dramatic as the weekend effect, there was also evidence of enhanced mood on Fridays, relative to other days of the week – supporting popular belief in a "Thank God It's Friday!" effect. But comparing mood on Mondays against mood on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays revealed no evidence of a dip.
"Despite our global beliefs about lousy Mondays, we conclude that this belief should, in general, be abandoned," the researchers said.
Rose Eveleth blames the myth on advertising:
In fact the “most depressing day of the year” is on a Monday. Dubbed “Blue Monday,” it falls on the third Monday in January. Turns out, that’s not real either. As Ben Goldacre points out, the premise of “Blue Monday” was dreamed up by Sky Travel, a PR company, just in time for people to take a summer holiday. How convenient.
Another study, last year, found that it takes people in Britain until exactly 11:16 a.m. to smile on Mondays. That study was funded by Marmite, a food spread. Which explains why the smiling time fell exactly in the middle of the traditional morning tea break taken by British workers – and the most likely time they’d eat Marmite.
(Chart via Sarah Kliff)
The Dish 