Today's winter solstice, the day with the least amount of sunlight of the year, means there is just nine hours and 34 minutes of sunlight in Ballarat.

This compares to almost 15 hours of sunlight in summer.

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Dr Brett Muhlhan, from Experience Counselling in Alfredton, said the current time of year can often have negative impacts on the mental health of some people.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that results with the change of seasonal patterns and is thought to be connected to a lack of sunlight.

It is particularly prominent in Canada and other countries near the Arctic circle, who have even less exposure to sunlight over winter.

In Australia many report to feel more lethargic in winter, but SAD is rare.

However, Dr Muhlhan said there were a number of ways to ensure a healthy state of mind for Ballarat people - even if it is dark on the way to and from work.

"Practical things like focusing on hobbies," he said.

"Because of the cold, focusing on being active can be difficult but understanding that if you continue to exercise and stay busy, that's a good thing.

"The approach I employ is a mindfulness approach, understanding values, why we endure, think about the upside to living in a place like Ballarat.

"Winter doesn't last forever and it's pretty spectacular coming into a Ballarat Spring. I know some people that love the winter."

Dr Muhlhan proposed that recognising symptoms of SAD at the onset of winter and its shorter daylight hours was also important.

"Look at the big picture, try not to see winter as the 'anti-season' and take a holistic approach. Identify other factors contributing to your mental health and stresses you may already have moving into winter," Dr Muhlhan said.

"Invest in coping strategies for the indoors, and try to see the light at the end of the tunnel."

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