Seasonal affective disorder affects more than a million people across the UK, with symptoms intensifying as daylight hours shrink during autumn and winter. A new initiative is now bringing relief to those struggling with the condition: libraries across Wales are lending out free lamps designed to mimic sunlight and help restore mood and energy levels. According to BBC News, the scheme has launched across 11 Welsh council areas as part of a broader expansion that extends beyond Wales itself.
The lending programme represents a significant shift in how public libraries support their communities. Nation.Cymru reports that 600 Wintering Well boxes are being shared across 16 public library services in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland this year, marking a substantial expansion of an initiative that began in East Dunbartonshire in 2024.
What is seasonal affective disorder and how does it affect people?
Seasonal affective disorder occurs when shorter days and reduced sunlight exposure disrupt mood, energy levels and overall wellbeing. Rachel Dineem-Mabe, 38, a branch librarian at Skewen Library, describes the condition as taking depression and heightening it to a new level. The impact on daily functioning can be profound:
I struggle just getting out of bed sometimes, I just want to hibernate. I don't want to do anything but sleep and it is a real struggle to carry on doing normal everyday things from just dressing, not necessarily because you don't want to but you physically feel unable to.
Rachel notices the effects beginning around October each year. She explains that while autumn is a season she loves, the accompanying low mood creates a persistent sadness that colours the entire period. The condition affects her ability to engage in routine activities, though she makes deliberate efforts to maintain social connections through her work and to use bright lighting at home throughout the year.
How do SAD lamps work and what is in the lending boxes?
The lamps provided through the scheme mimic natural sunlight to help restore normal sleep-wake cycles and lift mood. Each box available to borrow contains more than just the lamp itself. According to Wrexham Council, the boxes include a guidebook with indoor and outdoor activity ideas and access to a free online course, in addition to the lamp. The complete package was developed by researchers from the universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh with funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, based on input from people with lived experience of SAD.
Hester Parr from the University of Glasgow explains the philosophy behind the resource:
The whole intention of the box is to help people who feel low mood in winter, or feel that they have seasonal affective disorder, make some kind of positive change. This is outside the GP system, it's free to use from your local library, so there's no stigma attached to getting this lovely resource that helps us live well in winter.
The lamps available for loan typically retail at £99, though cheaper alternatives exist on the market. Emily Van de Venter from Public Health Wales recommends using the lamps for approximately 20 minutes each morning, combined with as much natural daylight exposure as possible during the day.
People that have been part of the trials have reported benefits and wanted to continue accessing the SAD lamps, evidence has been growing around the benefits that these lamps can bring.
Who can access the lamps and where are they available?
The scheme operates through public libraries, removing barriers to access that might exist through medical channels. Libraries have increasingly expanded their role beyond book lending to provide community health and wellbeing resources, making them ideal distribution points for this initiative. The boxes are available across Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Neath Port Talbot, Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Powys, Conwy, Newport, Vale of Glamorgan and Caerphilly.
In Powys specifically, five boxes are available, with borrowers able to request delivery to any library in the county, and each loan lasting two weeks. This flexibility ensures that people across rural and urban areas can access the resource without difficulty.
What do people using SAD lamps report about their effectiveness?
Lorna Beatrice Lombardini, 26, from Cardiff Bay, describes the particular challenges of managing SAD while studying. The combination of indoor work, academic deadlines, exams and the pressure to maintain a social life creates additional strain during winter months. She advocates for pushing through the temptation to isolate:
I absolutely love the 'say yes' idea, which is even if you get invited to plans, you're thinking it's too cold, it's too dark, I want to stay inside. Just say yes. Even if you go and it doesn't turn out how you want it to go, you can go home and still appreciate home that little bit more but it's always the experiences that you're not expecting that turn out to be the best.
Lorna already uses SAD lamps to support her mood and reports noticeable improvement.
I know that this is a very universal experience but whatever I can do to try and lift the mood a little bit, feel a little bit lighter, I do try and do my best.
Rachel Dineem-Mabe emphasises the importance of combining lamp use with other strategies. She advocates for getting outside whenever possible and prioritises speaking with others as essential support.
I know it's hard but get outside if you can, speak to people. Like I've said, talking about mental health is such an important thing at the moment and this is part of it. There are so many people who have SAD and may not even know it and it's good to acknowledge it.
Rachel has used SAD lamps herself and describes the experience vividly:
I've used the SAD lamps before and it feels like just a little bit of sunshine in a day where maybe you've seen nothing, it really does boost your mood.
How did this scheme develop and what is its track record?
The Wintering Well initiative builds on successful trials conducted in Scotland. The lending scheme began in East Dundartonshire in 2024, and by October 2026, more than 1,000 loans had been recorded across East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow and Orkney, demonstrating strong uptake and sustained interest from users. This evidence of effectiveness informed the decision to expand the programme across the UK.
The scheme represents a recognition that libraries serve as trusted community institutions capable of delivering health and wellbeing support beyond traditional book lending. Rachel Dineem-Mabe emphasises that such schemes are vital in modern library services, which have evolved significantly to meet diverse community needs.
When will the boxes become available to borrow?
The boxes became available to borrow from Monday, 26 October 2026, across all participating library services in Wales and the wider UK network. This timing aligns with the onset of winter and the period when SAD symptoms typically intensify for those affected by the condition.
