Last week, the Sounder asked readers to share their hopes and dreams for the New Year. Your responses included health and happiness.

Unfortunately, according to Forbes.com, only 8 percent of New Year’s resolutions will be achieved. So to help you keep your goals going all year long, here are a few tips from island professionals.

Brain Food

Curling up with a good book will get your brain activated,  possibly improve your mood or maybe even inspire you to make a change in your life. The right book might just help you to look at the world in a different way.

Phil Heikkinen, director of the Orcas Public Library, said that books can confirm whatever feelings you have.

For instance you can pick up a dark subject, or material that is just entertaining or something uplifting and spiritual.

Even books that are purely entertaining, according to Heikkinen, can feed your imagination more than watching TV.

“Reading is more active, you are drawing connections, and it’s intellectual,” he said. “Almost like hiking, but you don’t have to leave the room. It’s exercise for your brain.”

Heikkinen tries to keep a balance between the number of non-fiction and fiction on his night stand.

He compares this practice to “running a couple of miles to earn your junk food.”

For Heikkinen, having a series written by a good author who provides compelling and interesting characters is a reliable “friend” whom you can always trust.

“After having a rough day it’s comforting to sit in bed and read a good book, and it’s much more cozy than TV,” he said.

If people are looking for new reads, Heikkinen and the rest of the staff are always available at the front desk to share their favorite authors and offer suggestions.

“It’s a time to share a world for a few minutes,” said Heikkinen. “Reading can increase your horizons, take you out of the smaller picture and to a lot of different experiences in a short amount of time.”

To share your love of literature, join the library’s book club that meets the first Friday of every month, 11 a.m. in the community meeting room. For more info, visit www.orcaslibrary.org.

Let the light in

Starting out the New Year is important but also difficult as the dark days of winter are not yet over.

Dr. Frank James, San Juan County health officer, said that 1 to 2 percent of Americans have a seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, which basically means they become depressed when there is less light. SAD tends to affect women more than men and the young rather than older people, added James.

Luckily there is an easy solution to this problem. You can purchase lights that mimic the sun by producing 10,000 lux (a measurement of light intensity). James said 30 minutes of exposure to these lights can be helpful.

“Some people may benefit from steady exposure or just a couple times a week,” he said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, light therapy can be used to adjust daily sleep cycles, which may play a role in mood.

Move your feet

Losing weight and exercising more are typically popular New Year’s resolutions. They are also hard goals to keep constant throughout the year, possibly due to depression.

James said that 75 percent of people affected by depression get better through medication, 70 percent see improvement through talk therapy, and 70 percent see an increase in mood through exercise.

“The problem with exercise is that people are often too depressed to get off the couch,” said James.

For people facing that level of lethargy, James recommends seeking medication or talk therapy first, and then they should focus on getting exercise back into their lives.

The recommended dose of physical activity is 40 minutes a day. If that sounds like a lot, don’t be alarmed, even every day tasks like cleaning the house or taking a walk can count as exercise. James said as long as you are slightly out of breath, but could still maintain a conversation, then you are at the right level of physical exertion. If you can get outdoors during the day and combine light exposure with raising your heart rate, that is ideal, said James.

Make new friends

A study reported in the Medical Journal of Australia found that pet owners generally have lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels than people who do not own pets.

So if you want to have a healthier New Year, it may be time to stop by the Orcas Animal Shelter.

“There is nothing better than coming in and playing with a kitten or a cat to make you laugh during the winter blahs,” said Shelter Manager Marsha Waunch.

And unlike humans, the animals aren’t aware of “feeling down” – they just know someone is there to play with them and are happy to return those affections.

Taking a shelter dog for a walk gets you out in the fresh air, clears the mind and helps to think positively, she added.

“I’m never in a bad mood when I am at the shelter,” Waunch said. “I just get so much pleasure from seeing these sweet faces and furry bodies and knowing each personality.”

For more info, visit www.orcaspets.org.