Life today can be so fast-paced and technology-packed. Between work, the commute, taking care of the loved ones, cooking and cleaning, watching television, connecting on social media, and more, and average of 90% of time is spent indoors. A mere 50 years ago this would be virtually unheard of!

Unfortunately, all this indoor time is having a negative impact on your health and the health of your children. In fact, the term ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’ was coined in 2005 to describe a list of behavioural and health symptoms in children that can be directly related to lack of outdoor time.  The time to unplug, turn off, stop, take a breather and get outside is now. This can be challenging in the colder, darker winter months, but committing to even a few minutes of outdoor time on a regular, daily basis can have a huge impact on your well-being.

If you are feeling resistant, need a little extra motivation or are concerned you have no time for yet another activity deemed ‘necessary’ to maintain health, here a few reasons why you cannot afford not to get that fresh air and natural light:

1.     Reduces Stress.

You may have already experienced this – you are feeling stressed out at home or in the office, you take a quick walk and voila! You instantly feel better and more equipped to cope.

Science backs up this experience. Studies have found that after taking nature walks, people reported lower levels of stress. Taking a walk (even a short one) in a green area can put the brain in a meditative state, with results so profound they showed up on EEG (electroencephalography) recordings.

Adding a few trees into the mix only adds to the experience. These were the findings from yet another study, which found that ‘forest bathing’—the practice of walking through the forest—reduced levels of the stress hormone ‘cortisol’ in the blood, and decreased stress and anxiety. It also reduced blood pressure heart rate and fatigue and improved mood.

2.     Supplies Natural Vitamin D

Chances are that you are not getting sufficient amounts of Vitamin D, largely due to spending too much time indoors. This has become so concerning that vitamin D deficiency has been labelled a pandemic!

As a society, North Americans (and many in the Western World) are deprived of sunlight, and the foods consumed that naturally contain vitamin D do not contain enough to satisfy even basic (let alone optimal) requirements. Many assume that the best way to acquire Vitamin D is through drinking milk, eating fish, or even taking supplements like cod liver oil. However direct exposure to the sun is actually the best way to absorb Vitamin D

Low vitamin D levels have been directly linked to a myriad of health concerns from an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, hip fractures, and pregnancy complications.

Sadly, the over-use of sunscreens prevents the body from acquiring and absorbing any of this crucial element when many do go outdoors. Aim for at least 15 minutes of direct sun exposure on your skin every day when the weather is warmer (during the early morning or late afternoon is always best to prevent burning – your body’s natural way of telling you you are getting too much). Although supplementation is an option, getting your nutrients in the most natural form possible always ensures your body is able to utilize them best!

3.     Improves Sleep.

How well you sleep has a lot to do with both your hormones and your own natural circadian rhythm. Both of these are affected by your exposure to light, natural sunlight, most of all. If you spend too much time indoors, you become isolated from the source of your body’s natural rhythms, and your sleep cycle is likely to suffer.

If you want to get good sleep, you have to have properly aligned circadian rhythms. If not, the varying aspects of your waking/sleeping system will be working at the wrong time. Insomnia is a common side effect of an improperly timed circadian clock and can have a significantly detrimental effect on your brain function and ability to perform.

It has been noted that natural sunlight helps set our body’s internal clock, and that people need to get between 30-60 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight for sleep patterns to improve. Getting outside is vital for reminding your body of its natural rhythms.

4.     Promotes Happiness.

As with stress reduction, time outside will support your mental wellbeing. It naturally boosts levels of serotonin, your ‘feel good’ brain chemical. One study measured serotonin levels in a group of 101 healthy men during each of the four seasons, and found that regardless of the season, the level of serotonin in the brain was affected by the amount of sunlight on any given day.

People who frequently take walks in nature experience reduced symptoms of depression and enhanced mental well-being. This may not only improve your positive daily emotions, but may also contribute to a non-pharmacological approach to more serious conditions like depression.

5.     Boosts Immunity.

Spending more time outdoors and in nature boosts you immune system. Studies have shown that the natural participants ‘phytoncides’  (particles of a-pinene and limonene from the wood of the forest trees) that you breathe in when spending time in treed areas increases the activity of your immune system and disease fighting cells. What makes this even more important is that the effects of increased immune function are still present up to 30 days after the walk!

6.     Provides a Natural Energy Boost.

The next time you are feeling depleted or low on energy, resist the urge to reach for that cup of coffee and get outside for a few minutes. Nature is fuel for the soul and research suggests that a more effective way to get energized is to connect with nature. Being outside helps ward off feelings of exhaustion, and you may already have experienced increased energy when you are enjoying outdoor activities!

7.     Outdoor Air Is Cleaner

According to the EPA, your indoor environment is between two and five times more polluted and/or toxic than your outdoor environment, and in some cases, the air measurements indoors have been found to be 100 times more polluted.

Worse yet, the most common indoor pollutants have been ranked among the top five environmental risks to public health. Indoors, you are exposed to carbon monoxide, particulate matter from fireplaces and cooking appliances and a number of harsh chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde and flame retardants. Chemicals from furnishings, building materials, household and office products and the like can emit particles into the air. Furthermore, indoors you re exposed to mold, dirt, dust, and pet dander.

Increasing ventilation will help, but an even better option for your health to get outside a little every day. If you feel yourself experiencing symptoms like burning eyes, breathing problems, scratchy throat, headaches, brain fog, and fatigue, you may be spending too much time breathing indoor air.

When Is It Too Cold to Go Outside?

This is really a personal decision… but once the thermometer dips down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.6 degrees Celsius) or so, you'll want to use extreme caution and make sure to protect your skin from exposure if you choose to go outdoors, as such subfreezing temperatures dramatically increase your chances of developing frost bite. Your cheeks, nose and ears are the most vulnerable, but your hands and feet are also easily affected. Dressing appropriately and paying attention to the following safeguards can help keep you safe and warm when spending time outdoors this winter:

·       Dress in three or more layers

o   Use a lightweight synthetic material to wick moisture away from your skin. Avoid heavy cotton materials as these absorb sweat, trapping wetness close to your body, which can increase your risk of hypothermia

o   Add another layer or two of wool or fleece for insulating warmth

o   Top it off with a lightweight, water-repellant, and wind-resistant material

·       Wear a hat, as you lose about 50 percent of your body heat from your uncovered head

·       Wear gloves to protect your fingers from frostbite. Layering thin gloves with heavier mittens is a good idea so you can remove a layer if needed without exposing your bare skin to the frigid air

·       Cover your face with mask or scarf when the temperature is below freezing to avoid frostbite. This can also help warm the air a bit before entering your lungs

·       Wear sturdy footwear with good traction to prevent slips and falls on snow or ice

·       Check the temperature and the forecast. Health risks increase when the combined temperature and wind chill falls below -20°F

·       Wear light and/or reflective clothing, as it gets darker sooner during the winter months. You want to make sure drivers can see you

·       Hydrate. Staying properly hydrated is just as important during cold weather as during hot weather. If you’re exercising, drink before, during, and after your workout, even if you don't feel very thirsty, as dehydration may be more difficult to notice during cold weather exertion

·       Tell someone where you’re going and when to expect your return, just in case something goes wrong. If you slip and fall in the winter, hypothermia can get the better of you if no one knows to go looking for you

While staying warm is important, a common mistake people make is actually dressing too warmly when exercising in cold weather. Remember that exercise will generate body heat and sweating, even though it's cold outside. And once your sweat starts to accumulate in your clothes, it can have a significantly chilling impact. If it's really cold outside, it may even end up freezing close to your skin, which can lower your body temperature and increase your risk of hypothermia.

Staying DRY is equally important as being warm—hence the importance of putting on a wicking layer closest to your skin, and dressing in layers so you can remove a layer or two if you're sweating profusely. Just remember to put those layers back on once you begin to cool down. Keep in mind that wind chill can make exercising risky even if you dress warmly. As a general suggestion, I'd recommend taking a break from outdoor activities if the temperature dips well below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17.8 C), or if the wind chill factor is high.

When we go outside, we naturally move more – a wonderful consequence of creating your daily outdoor routine. Clearly, nature is in your blood, it forms part of your make-up and getting outdoors to spend some time in it would seem to come with the territory.  Do yourself and your health a favor this week and hit the great outdoors!