THE people of Newport are the least concerned about phenomenon of Blue Monday, the day of the year when most of us are supposedly feeling at our lowest - according to a study of internet searches on the subject.

The theory goes that the third Monday in January - that's tomorrow, folks - is when we’re all cold, strapped for cash after the festive season, and riddled with guilt over our failed New Year’s resolutions.

But the people of Newport have bucked this trend, suggests Note Cosmetics. according to analysis of Google searches

We’ve always been a hardy bunch and it seems this has translated into the digital world.

Either that, or all Newportonians have made financially smart decisions and kept on track with fitness and diet goals.

It won’t be the fact we aren’t cold, because we are - as ever.

Newport had the fewest people searching for Blue Monday on Google throughout the major cities in the UK.

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In fact, the city only ranked behind London for fewest searches per capita.

The most concerned city were people in Bath, who searched for Blue Monday the most, followed by Lincoln and Exeter.

The most commonly asked question in relation to Blue Monday is ‘what is Blue Monday?’, followed by ‘when is Blue Monday?’.

However, these numbers do not reflect the places in the UK that feel the most 'blue' overall.

The most searched for question is ‘why do I feel sad?’ with an average of 1000 search queries per month, followed by ‘how to stop feeling sad?’ with 480 monthly queries.

Here's a brief guide to Blue Monday and more importantly, expert advice on how best to look after our mental health.

What is Blue Monday?

A few years ago a university professor managed to precisely calculate this day as the most depressing of the year using the following factors, including: Weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our New Year’s resolutions, low motivational levels, and feeling of a need to take action.

However, he was asked to come up with this formula by Sky Travel, so ulterior commercial motives are a factor in the identification or creation of the phenomenon.

The phrase 'Blue Monday' is now used by PR and marketing firms to sell uplifting deals designed to make you feel better.

When is it?

Tomorrow - Monday January 20.

Does it really exist though?

If you're cynical, no, not really. However, winter generally can lead to symptoms of depression in some people, and it might be a good time to actually consider your health and mental health if you have been feeling low.

What do the experts say?

According to mentalhealth.org.uk there can be seasonal variations in our mental health.

Some people might be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder with symptoms of depression that come and go in a seasonal pattern (and are usually more intense in the lower light months). Bodily changes in the winter can affect our hormones and impact our sleeping and eating habits, and our mood.

“Blue Monday is a slogan from an advertising campaign, and there is no evidence to suggest one specific day increases the risk of experiencing depression," said Rosie Weatherly, information content manager at Mind.

"Blue Monday is unscientific, and trivialises depression - which in reality is a potentially life-threatening condition.

"The winter months can cause us to feel low, potentially as a result of shorter days, changes in weather or money worries. These things might contribute to some people’s depression, but not others, and people with depression will be affected for more than one day.

What can we do to help ourselves?

Things that are known to be good for our mental health such as exercising and spending time in green and blue spaces are harder to do when the days are short and nights are long.

Do things that make you feel good. January can be a time of deprivation for many, thanks to the relentless call for diets, hardcore exercise regimes and extreme weight loss measures. Don't be too hard on yourself. 

Mind says: "If you’re finding things hard in January, there are lots of things you can try to improve your mental wellbeing. Getting outside during daylight can often help, as can doing some exercise.

Focusing on a hobby like cooking, crafting or climbing can also give us an enjoyable break from day to day pressures. The important thing is to find something that works for you, because we are all different."

It may be that you use 'Blue Monday' to treat yourself to something - don't feel guilty about this either.