Tackle the winter blues in your library

Dark gloomy days and indoor working can disrupt our body clocks, and may contribute to Seasonal Affective Disorder. Using light therapy can lead to an improved sense of well-being and increased vitality.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. Symptoms can include a persistent low mood, loss of interest in normal everyday activities, irritability and lacking in energy. SAD, or the Winter Blues, is officially recognised by doctors and psychiatrists as a medical condition that is thought to affect 2 million people in the UK and Ireland.

Julie Reid, Libraries NI Service Development Manager said: “Libraries NI is committed to providing services, programmes and resources which promote positive mental health and wellbeing for all. Light therapy has proven effective in easing the symptoms of SAD and involves using a light therapy box that simulates exposure to sunlight. Whether you want to come along and read, knit or just relax in close proximity to the light, I would urge you to call in to Banbridge or Rathfriland Library and give it a try.”

It is normally recommended that sufferers should use a light therapy box for 20 - 30 minutes per day during the winter.

The light therapy box is available to use in the library during opening hours throughout the winter months.

There is no need to book a session, simply call in and speak to a member of staff.

For more details visit www.librariesni.org.uk