Free SAD lamps given out as disorder 'makes it hard to do anything on darker days'

Free SAD lamps given out as disorder 'makes it hard to do anything on darker days'
Published

• Does your mood drop in the winter?

The clocks have gone back, it's getting darker and colder, which could mean you may find the winter months particularly hard.
Rachel Dineem-Mabe is one of more than a million people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), external in the UK, and says it "takes depression and heightens it to a whole new level".
But a new scheme allowing people to borrow SAD lamps from libraries has been launched across Wales to help combat the darker days.
SAD happens when shorter days affect your mood, energy levels and overall wellbeing.
Rachel, 38, the branch librarian at Skewen Library, said darker days make it hard to do anything.
"I struggle just getting out of bed sometimes, I just want to hibernate," she said.
"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, whose library is in one of the 11 council areas taking part in the free lamps scheme, said she notices the effects from about October.
She said: "It's a shame because it's, for me, it's a lovely time of year. I love it, but it has this low mood hanging over it that just leaves it feeling a bit sad.
"I make a real effort to get out as much as I can, obviously my job is very people focused so I'm always speaking with people which is lovely becaus