There's a widespread view that Mondays are linked with misery, depression and a generally bleak outlook on life.
In fact, suffering from 'a case of the Mondays' is a typical description for someone with an especially grumpy disposition.
But a new study says there's simply no truth to the notion that we have a special hate on for Mondays -- in fact we dislike Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays just as much, researchers found.
The study, published in The Journal of Positive Behaviour, analyzed the results from a Gallup telephone survey of 340,000 people in the U.S.
"Strong support was found for better mood on weekends and Fridays, but there was minimal support for a Blue Monday effect and no differences were observed between Saturdays and Sundays," stated an abstract for the study, which was led by Prof. Arthur Stone of Stony Brook University in New York.
The U.S. researchers determined that while there was an increase in enjoyment and happiness on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, as well as a reduction in stress, the respondents' mood was essentially stable for the rest of the week.
Contrary to public belief, there was no downward mood spike on Mondays compared to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Rather, the study authors suggested, the sharp contrast in mood between Sundays and Mondays is the most likely explanation for why Mondays have earned a reputation as the most depressing day of the week.
The study also found that among retirees and older respondents, there was less fluctuation in the emotional response associated with the day of the week. But gender or relationship status had little effect on how respondents felt about the various days of the week.
"(Day of week) is associated with mood, but not always in ways we believe," the abstract said.
