This time of year can be a hard adjustment for mental health as we move from the warm, sunny summer months into colder days with less sunlight. Ashlea McMartin, Behavioral Health Director with Sanford Bemidji, gave some suggestions on ways to improve your mental well-being as the days get shorter.

“The winter months of the Northland where it’s long days, it’s not a lot of sunlight, I encourage people to get outside – probably not the best thing in the winter, but if you can be barefoot and kind of connect with Mother Earth that way, if we can get outside and connect with nature, put technology away, and connect in undivided attention ways with other people,” said McMartin.

Staying on top of your physical health can also help improve you feel this time of year, as well as staying artistically engaged.

“There’s also the consideration of things like eating healthy, getting good exercise, sleeping well. Those things are going to help us connect to and stay connected with our bodies,” said McMartin “And then the other piece, too, is figuring out how to nurture our spirit and connect with our spirit through things like art and music and culture, and just being aware of how our media intake might influence what we’re seeing and hearing and how it might be influencing our spirit.”

Health officials suggest staying connected with loved ones over this upcoming holiday season.

By — Breanna Vinkemeier