26
Oct
Libraries offer light therapy kits to beat winter blues
Residents across North Yorkshire are now able to borrow light therapy kits from their local library this winter as part of an initiative to help people manage the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
From today (October 26), 150 Wintering Well kits are available to loan after funding was secured from Arts Council England’s National Lottery project grants programme.
They are designed to support people during the winter months when reduced daylight can affect mood and energy levels.
The kits were developed with Economic and Social Research Council funding by researchers from the universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, in consultation with people who experience symptoms of SAD.
Following two years of a trial in Scotland, North Yorkshire libraries are the first in England to offer access to the kits this year as part of a wider roll-out across the UK’s four nations.
Each kit contains a therapeutic light lamp and a guidebook with tips on simple indoor and outdoor activities that can help support a new healthy winter routine, as well as signposting to a free online course.
Library user Jenny Barrie was chosen to try a Wintering Well kit ahead of their official launch from her local branch in Harrogate.
She said:
The winter is always quite a depressing time of year with the darkness, cold, and often wet weather. I certainly feel worse during the winter months, with much less energy.
The lamp is very simple and easy to use. Although I have only had it for a short time, I think it is making a difference, and I hope to see further improvement the longer I use it.
One million sufferers
Cllr Simon Myers, the council’s executive member for culture and arts, said:
“Such initiatives that boost the health and wellbeing of our residents are integral, and they complement the resources already available at our libraries.
According to the Royal College of Psychiatry, more than a million people in the UK live with SAD during winter as a result of reduced access to natural light.
For more information on the Wintering Well project, visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/wintering-well
For more information about how to keep well and warm during winter visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/winterhealth
This includes guidance for preparing for cold weather, travelling safely, staying warm and safe, getting vaccinated, choosing the right healthcare, looking after your mental health and supporting other people around you.
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