9-24-2026 12:52pm

Health Wise: Building Your Mental Health Resource Kit for Fall and Winter

Maria Hadden MS LLP Contributor

Fall can be a great time of year, but it also brings a lot of changes that can affect mental health.

The days get shorter, we get less sunlight, vitamin D levels may drop, routines become busier, and school starts getting harder for kids and teens. Add in sports, activities, work demands, family schedules, and the holidays quickly approaching, and it is easy for stress to build before we even notice it.

That is why fall is a good time to start preparing your mental health resource kit. Think of it as putting supports in place now, before the darker and busier months are fully here.

Protect the Basics

Try to get daylight exposure when you can, especially earlier in the day. Spend time outside, open blinds, take a short walk, or sit near a bright window.

Keep movement in your routine, but make it realistic. Walking, stretching, dancing, playing with the dog, or doing something active with your kids all count.

Sleep matters a great deal too. Try to keep sleep and wake times fairly consistent, and watch for late-night homework, screens, activities, or stress starting to interfere with rest.

Watch the Family Schedule

By this point in the school year, the “fresh start” feeling is beginning to wear off.

Homework gets harder, grades become more important, activities pile up, and kids with ADHD, anxiety, learning difficulties, autism, depression, or executive-functioning challenges may start struggling more.

Parents and teachers may also be starting to feel the tension as things rev up.

Check in early. Ask what feels hardest. Look at grades and missing assignments before things become overwhelming.

It may also help to ask: Does everything on our calendar really need to be there? Kids and adults both need downtime. Getting fun things and down time on the calendar can make a huge difference.

Plan for Connection and Comfort

Cold weather can make it easier to isolate, so plan connection before you feel like withdrawing.

Schedule dinner with friends, a family movie night, a coffee date, a hobby night, or something else that gives you a reason to connect.

Try to remember that even if you feel tired or unmotivated, you may really enjoy the activity once you start it.

Also make home somewhere you enjoy being. Bring out the blankets, books, puzzles, favorite shows, warm drinks, games, and anything else that makes the darker months feel a little more comfortable.

Prepare for Holiday Stress Early

Holiday stress often starts long before the actual holidays.

Talk about budgets, travel, gatherings, expectations, and family boundaries ahead of time. Decide which traditions actually matter and which obligations you can let go.

You are allowed to build breathing room into the season.

Know When to Reach Out for More Support

Some seasonal stress is normal, but persistent changes in mood, energy, behavior, or grades deserve attention. Watch for ongoing sadness, anxiety, irritability, withdrawal, loss of interest, sleep or appetite changes, school avoidance, declining grades, difficulty functioning, or feeling overwhelmed most days.

You do not have to wait for things to become a crisis before seeking help.

Depending on the concern, professional support might include individual or family therapy, psychological or neuropsychological testing, or psychiatric care and medication management. Testing can be especially helpful when there are ongoing questions about ADHD, autism, learning differences, anxiety, mood, or other factors affecting school, work, relationships, or daily functioning.

Build the Resource Kit Before You Need It

We cannot stop winter from coming or make the school year permanently easy.

But we can prepare.

To recap: protect your sleep, daylight, routines, relationships, downtime, and support systems.

Pay attention when things start slipping, and reach out for help when needed.

The goal is not just to survive the colder months. It is to build enough support around yourself and your family to move through them with a little more stability, connection, and warmth.