Even with temperatures rising into the single digits, this Blue Monday still feels incredibly gloomy as the haze and clouds hang over Saskatoon.
Luckily, there are ways to fight it.
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Saskatoon is experiencing some warm weather for certain times of the year.
“Fog and clouds act like a blanket. Heat is trapped at night, but sunlight is blocked during the day, so the temperature remains constant. This type of weather is not very common. The last time we saw it was in 2018,” said Terry Lang, a meteorologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Blue Monday may have started as a PR stunt in 2005 to sell the holiday. People also feel moody or sad during the winter months, especially if there isn’t a lot of sunlight.
“The lack of sunlight can really screw up people’s moods,” Lange said. “People don’t go outside with such gloomy weather, even when the temperature is mild.”
Natalie Toman, Health Promotion Manager at Participation, understands that many people do not want to leave their homes because of the lack of sunlight.
“It’s important to remember that whenever you move your body, you are active. If you don’t want to go out and take an hour-long hike, just stay inside and try to move your arms and legs.” Try it, put on some good music and see how it feels,” Toman said.
Toman insists that 15 minutes of exercise a day is enough to stay healthy and keep the blues away.
“You don’t have to go for an hour’s hike. Folding laundry, getting up to get a glass of water, playing with your kids or parking your car a short distance away count as physical activity and Works wonders to uplift your mood.
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