Glasgow Libraries launch Wintering Well boxes to tackle SAD this winter
Ahead of Blue Monday on 19 January, when post-holiday weariness, cold weather and dark days can leave many people feeling low, Glasgow Life Libraries is launching a wellbeing initiative encouraging people in Glasgow to borrow a Wintering Well Box from their local library. The boxes are designed to support anyone experiencing low mood during the darkest months of the year.
The launch coincides with the opening of a Wintering Well exhibition at the Mitchell Library, running from 12 January to 9 February 2026. The small exhibition captures everyday experiences of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) shared by people at a series of Glasgow-based events, held as part of a research project on winter light and mental health. These personal experiences helped inform the design of a Wintering Well guidebook and online course.
The partnership between Glasgow Life – the charity which delivers culture, events and active living in Glasgow – and the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh will make 66 Wintering Well Boxes available from the Mitchell Library and across 10 community libraries.
Researchers from both universities combined forces to design the Wintering Well Box, developed with people across Glasgow who live with SAD. This represents a significant expansion of the successful scheme first piloted in East Dunbartonshire libraries last year.
As Glaswegians know well, even library loving comedian Billy Connolly once brought his children back to the city and they looked up at the grey winter sky, asking, ‘Why is the sky so low?’, the lack of sunlight can affect mood and wellbeing.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition that can be debilitating, resulting in emotional challenges, lowered mood and feelings of anxiety during the autumn and winter months. Not everyone has a SAD diagnosis, but many people feel deeply affected by prolonged periods of low light.
The boxes include a therapeutic lamp to help counteract the effects of SAD caused by low light levels during the darkest period of the year, along with a guidebook offering tips on simple indoor and outdoor activities to help develop a healthier winter routine. Research shows that, together, these tools can make a real difference for people experiencing these challenges to mental health.
Glasgow Life Libraries has partnered with Glasgow Life Sport to offer several free Wintering Well Walks, encouraging people to notice and make the most of natural light this winter. Leaving from and returning to Bridgeton, Castlemilk, Drumchapel and the Mitchell Libraries, people can join a guided walking group and observe the winter sky.
Glaswegians can also take part in free Brew & Blether gatherings, offering warmth, conversation and small moments of brightness to help everyone winter well.
Annmarie Galbraith, Health and Wellbeing Coordinator with Glasgow Life Libraries, said: “We’re delighted to roll out the Wintering Well Boxes during the darker months of the year. Winter can be a tough time, when the lack of natural sunlight makes everyday life feel more of a struggle. As Scotland’s largest city, and one that experiences low light levels for much of the winter, we know this can be a challenging time for many people.
“The Wintering Well Boxes are designed to help people manage low mood in simple, practical ways, whether that’s trying a SAD lamp, taking part in creative activities, or finding connection and support through their local library.
“Having seen the positive impact of the pilot scheme in East Dunbartonshire, we believe these boxes will be a valuable new resource for communities across Glasgow. Public libraries are trusted, welcoming spaces, and this scheme shows how they can play a real role in supporting health and wellbeing, helping people feel more supported and better equipped to cope with the long, dark winter days.”
The development of the Wintering Well Boxes is part of the UKRI-funded research project ‘Living with SAD’, led by Professor Hester Parr of the University of Glasgow.
Professor Hester Parr, of Glasgow University’s School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, said: “It's particularly apt and appropriate that our city library service has joined with us at the university, to try and help with the experience of SAD in Glasgow, a place well known for low light, rain and long winters. Our original research programme, which lies beyond the Wintering Well at the Library programme, worked with Glasgow residents to co-produce creative ways of managing through this demanding seasons. The Glasgow Life library scheme will build on that with supported walks and talks and appeal to all sorts of people in different walks of life.”
Living with SAD is also the inspiration for a new five-part radio series recently broadcast on BBC Radio 4. ‘Winter Well’ is presented by project team member Professor Hayden Lorimer of the University of Edinburgh and is available now on BBC Sounds.
Professor Hayden Lorimer of the University of Edinburgh added: “January can seem a bit drab and dreich after the festivities are over and done with. And those new year resolutions might already seem like a big ask. Borrowing a Wintering Well Box from your local library is a lovely way to brighten things up a bit. Inside are all the ingredients needed for adopting some new healthy habits during the long, dark season.”
With Wintering Well, library users can take home a portable plug-in SAD lamp, which can help lift mood by simulating sunlight that is in short supply during the darker winter months. The light can help improve SAD by encouraging the brain to reduce melatonin production, a hormone that signals sleep, and increase the production of serotonin, which plays a role in mood and wellbeing.
In addition to tips and creative ideas to help people feel healthier, better and brighter the accompanying Wintering Well guidebook includes details of a free-to-access, self-directed online course specially designed to support people through the winter months.
Glasgow Libraries offer a wide range of information and support to help with health and wellbeing. From Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries to Memories Scotland reminiscence groups, there is an extensive programme of free, in-person support and information. Find out more at www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries.