If you woke up feeling a weird vibe today, there's a reason: it's Friday the 13th.
There are those among us who feel lucky on Friday the 13th and others who are wearily suspicious of the mysterious date -- they won't look into a mirror, open an umbrella inside or cross paths with a black cat.
There's even two terms to describe people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th: paraskavedekatriaphobia and friggatriskaidekaphobia.
So, when did the date become the harbinger of bad luck? Negative superstitions have swirled around the number 13 for centuries.
According to the History Channel, the origin of the fear may involve one of the world's oldest legal documents, the Code of Hammurabi, composed during 1755–1750 BC. The ancient text reportedly omitted a 13th law from its list of legal rules -- which could have just been a clerical error made by one of the document's earliest translators, or maybe not.
Another early theory for the number's unlucky connotation revolves around the bible, according to National Geographic. Judas Iscariot, the 13th guest to arrive at the Last Supper, betrays Jesus. And the crucifixion of Jesus was on a Friday.
In other cultures, the ancient Egyptians thought the number 13 symbolized death, and early Hindus believed it was unlucky for exactly 13 people to gather in one place. The number 13 is so engrained with fear that a majority of hotels, hospitals and airports avoid using it for rooms, floors and gates.
The number 13 became linked with Friday and bad luck in 1907, when the novel "Friday, the Thirteenth" was published. Written by Thomas William Lawson, the book tells the story of a New York City stockbroker who plays on superstitions about the date to create chaos on Wall Street and make a killing on the market, per the History Channel.
Friday the 13th took on a life of its own in 1980 when a slasher flick by the same name introduced the world to the hockey mask-wearing killer Jason Voorhees. The movie spawned a franchise that went on to release 12 movies, a TV series, comic books and more, becoming one of the highest-grossing horror franchises in the world.
Is it all just a coincidence? Weird luck? A sign? No one knows for sure. At its core, Friday the 13th is simply another day on the calendar -- or is it?
An oft-cited British study published in 1993 "proved" that you're more likely to be injured in a car accident on Friday the 13th, with statistics showing there were fewer cars on the road and yet more accidents. "The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent" on the 13th, the study claimed.
The problem? The study was meant as a spoof.
While there are no serious studies about mishaps befalling people on Friday the 13th, there are plenty of suspicions. Reports estimate that 17 to 21 million people in the United States fear Friday the 13th.
Psychiatrists say superstitions let you feel you have control of your environment. If following a superstition or ritual makes you feel better, do it. However, if a superstition is ruling your life or preventing you from doing things, you might want to talk with a mental health professional.
However you feel about the day, you won't have much of a recovery period. The next one hits in just 91 days, on December 13, 2024.