Spending time outside is an essential part of a health promoting lifestyle.  It provides mental and physical well-being.  In today’s world the average individual spends very little time outside.  Children are often glued to video games and computers keeping them indoors and isolated from nature.   

Why is Time Outside Essential?

Spending time outside is essential to health and well-being.  Time spent outdoors balances and synchronizes the body, improves energy, sleep, mood and is also essential for vitamin synthesis, eye sight, and increasing immune function.   

Synchronizes Circadian Rhythm: As natural beings, we have a connection to nature.  Nature feeds the soul and helps to balance the body.  Balancing the body occurs when exposed to sunlight and natural, living things.  The body’s internal clock, the circadian rhythm, is balanced when outdoors exposed to natural sunlight.  Natural sunlight stimulates the optic nerve which sends a signal to the hypothalamus. From the hypothalamus biochemical, physiological and behavioural processes are governed and balanced. As the

circadian rhythm governs most processes in the body it is imperative that the rhythm be balanced by time spent outdoors.  Imbalance of the circadian cycle contributes to hormonal imbalances, seasonal affective disorder, impaired sleep, fatigue and jet lag, just to name a few.[i]   The body also balances itself when outdoors with the feet on the ground.  Spending time each day in rubber soled shoes does not allow static electricity to be shed from the body.  Spending time with both feet on the earth, grounds the body and rids the excess electrical activity.  Spending time each day with the feet on the ground allows the body to ground itself both physically and mentally.   In order to restore health and balance it is important to spend time outdoors, in nature each day. 

Energy: Spending time outdoors increases energy and vitality.  Individuals who spent time outdoors reported feeling more alive and full of energy.[ii]  Exposure to oxygenated air, trees and nature instantly increases energy levels and decreased feeling of exhaustion.  Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee when energy is low, try spending a few minutes outside in nature to combat feelings of fatigue.  

Sleep: Years ago, individuals used to rise with the sun and go to bed when the sun was setting.  This was very beneficial to overall health as the body balances itself by light stimulation.  Light cues are essential for proper circadian rhythms.  Circadian rhythms are the body’s internal clock which governs sleep-wake cycles.  Exposure to sunlight cues the body to wake, whereas darkness increases melatonin production in the brain creating feelings of sleepiness which cue the body to go to bed.  Spending time outdoors exposed to natural light allows the body to balance its internal clock which is essential for restful, restorative sleep. (See sleep for more information)  

Mood: Spending time outdoors has a beneficial effect on overall mood.  Individuals who spend time outdoors report an increased sense of well-being, improved self-esteem and decreased feeling of depression.  Exposure to sunlight while outdoors increases vitamin D synthesis.  A deficiency of vitamin D has been associated with increased feelings of depression.[iii] Sunlight is also beneficial for decreasing the severity and incidence of seasonal affective disorder.  Spending 20 minutes a day may be the prescription needed to help combat feelings of low mood. 

Vitamin Synthesis: In order for the body to produce vitamin D, an important fat-soluble vitamin, one needs so to be exposed to sunlight.  Exposure to Ultra Violet B radiation allows the body to synthesize vitamin D.  Vitamin D is essential for optimal immune function, calcium absorption, prevention of chronic disease and prevention of auto-immune conditions.  To maximize vitamin D synthesis it is important to spend time outdoors with skin exposed to sunlight without sunscreen on.  That being said, it is also important to avoid a sunburn.  If the skin is too sensitive to spend any time outdoors without sun protection, talk to your Naturopathic Doctor about vitamin D supplementation.

Eye Sight: Spending time outdoors is important for eye sight.  One of the only times the eyes are given the chance to see distances is outdoors.  Outdoor activity is protective against the development of myopia (the ability to see distances).[iv]  Children who spend time outdoors are less likely to develop myopia later in life.  Outdoor activity is also beneficial for balancing eye sight. The eyes balance themselves based on the colors green and blue, which corresponds with the color of the sky and ground.  Spending time outdoors is essential for proper vision. 

Increased Immune Function: Spending time outdoors has a beneficial effect on immune function.  Some of the reason why include:

• Phytoncides: Plants emit phytoncides a natural airborne substance that prevents them from rotting and provides protection against insects and animals.  Phytoncides are also beneficial for human immune function.  Spending time in nature, exposed to phytoncides increased the number of natural killer cells, and anti-cancer proteins in white blood cell.[v]  Natural killer cells are powerful immune cells which protect the body from viruses and tumour formation. Phytoncides also decreased stress hormones in the blood which favourably affects immune function.[vi]
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for optimal immune function.  Several cells of the immune system have vitamin D receptors (VDR) which requires vitamin D to bind to it in order to be activated and function optimally.  T-cells, macrophages and dendritic cells all have VDR on their cell surface pointing to the important role of vitamin D in immune function.  Vitamin D has also been shown to increase innate immunity and prevent the development of auto-immune conditions.[vii]    

How Much Time Outdoors Is Essential?

Spending 20 minutes a day outdoors is essential to health and well-being.  One can incorporate their time outdoors with exercise if finding it difficult to get a full 20 minutes of fresh air.  It is also possible to break up the 20 minutes into smaller bouts, as long as 20 minutes are accumulated throughout the day. 

Factors That Affect Time Spent Outdoors

There are many factors that prevent someone from spending time outdoors.  Here are is list of some of the most common reasons. 

Age: Age is a factor that affects the amount of time spent outdoors.  Young children are often encouraged to spend time outside and parents will find activities that encourage outdoor play.  As one ages and enters the working world, the amount of time spent outside diminishes substantially.  Spending all day in an office, followed by a commute home can decrease the amount of time left in a day for outdoor activities.  In order to incorporate time outdoors into your daily schedule consider taking two 10 minutes breaks throughout the working day to spend time outside.

Health Status: Health status is a factor that affects the amount of time spent outside. 

• Mobility: if mobility is restricted the ability to get outside or spend time outdoors may be a challenge. 
• Seasonal allergies: If suffering from seasonal allergies, the ability to enjoy time outdoors may be difficult.  Frequent sneezing, itchy watery eyes and decreased energy may impact the desire to spend time outdoors. Talk to your Naturopathic Doctor about natural treatments for seasonal allergies. 

Neighbourhood: The neighbourhood one lives in positively or negatively impacts the amount of time outdoors.  Neighbourhoods with increased greenness are associated with more time spent outdoors.[viii]  Greenness in a neighbourhood is also associated with a decrease in body mass index.^vii Individuals who live in neighbourhoods with increased greenness spend more time outdoors engaging in physical activity contributing to a decrease in the body weight. 

Excuses: There are a myriad of excuses that one can make up to not spend time outdoors. Here are some of the most common:

•  Not enough time: A common excuse for not spending time outdoors is there is not enough time in a day.  By incorporating time spent outside with regular activities, one can quickly accumulate 20 minutes of fresh air.  Try reading the paper outside, walking to get groceries, walking to pick children up from school or eating lunch outside versus inside.  Another great way to spend more time outdoors is to pick up a hobby that must be preformed outside, such as gardening, golfing, canoeing, landscape photography etc.
• Seasons: Living in a northern climate can put a damper on outdoor activity.  Cold, harsh winters make spending 20 minutes a day outdoors seem like a difficult task.  In order to accumulate 20 minutes of outdoor activity on cold winter days it is important to be thoroughly dressed for the weather.  Proper boots, coats, mitts, scarf, hats ensures that your body stays warm making outdoor activities not as daunting.  A great way to get motivated to be outside in the winter is to engage in physical activities that require one to be outdoors.  Examples include: hiking, skiing, skating, building a snowman, tobogganing etc. 
• Environment: Living in an urban setting can make spending time in nature difficult.  In order to fulfill time outside in nature find a green space in your local city.  Most cities have numerous parks with beautiful gardens where one can enjoy time outdoors in nature. 

Impact of Lack Of Time Spent Outdoors

Lack of time outdoors can contribute to various health conditions.  Below is a list of common conditions associated with lack of time outside.

Chronic Disease: Spending time outdoors increase both balance in the body and vitamin D synthesis.  As balance and vitamin D are protective against the development of chronic disease, spending 20 minutes a day outdoors is an important preventative health strategy.  Studies have shown that adequate vitamin D levels can prevent the development of cancer, type 1 diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.[ix]

Obesity: Spending time outdoors prevents the development of obesity.  Studies have shown that spending time outdoors is positively associated with physical activity.[x]  Spending time outdoors encourages exercise and movement and deters sedentary behaviours, such as playing video games and watching television.  Children who are encouraged to spent time outdoors are less likely to be overweight or obese.[xi]  This is also important for adults, as the incidence of obesity is on the rise.  Spending 20 minutes a day outdoors is part of a positive lifestyle change preventing the development of obesity. 

Psychological Disorders: Several psychological disorders have been associated with lack of time outdoors. Below is a list of the most common: 

• Depression: Lack of time outdoors is a factor that can increase the development of depression.  Spending time outdoors increases vitamin D synthesis which is protective against depressive moods.  
• Anxiety: Time outdoors with the feet on the ground provides the body with physical and emotional grounding.  This is beneficial against the development of anxiety.  Reconnecting with nature helps to settle the body and restore balance.  When feeling anxious try taking a break and spending time in nature and notice the calming affect that the outdoors provide. 
• Seasonal affective disorder: Spending time outdoors is an effective treatment for SAD.  Studies have looked at the difference between light therapy (indoor lights) and time outdoors.  The results showed that spending time outdoors decreased depression ratings whereas light therapy did not.[xii]  If suffering from low moods in the winter, spending a little extra time outdoors helps offset depressive moods.  

 Treatment Options - Time Spent Outdoors

Spending more time outdoors requires taking time for yourself and honouring your health.  As time spent outdoors is a key determinant of health it should be viewed as equally as important as daily exercise or water intake.  Neglecting time spent outdoors is detrimental to your overall health and wellness.  Try to incorporate outdoor activities into your daily routines (i.e. walk to get groceries, eat lunch in the park, take children to the park instead of playing indoors etc.). By taking time for yourself and spending a little extra time outdoors you will begin to notice what it does for you overall well-being. 

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