Americans average a whopping 87% of their lives INDOORS.
Another 6% resides within an automobile. That means only 7% of the typical US citizen’s life is spent outside, in the fresh air. #Merica
As I write this, I’m sitting in my office, staring out into the bright sunshine, wondering: Hmm…why the f*ck am I inside right now?
This is a bigger problem than we give it credit. Sunshine, fresh air, physical activity, nature…all of this is being taken from us by sitting on the couch, having our brains sucked out by the T.V.
Here are 3 ways being outside makes you healthy:
- Being out in the sun increases Vitamin D intake. Almost all Americans have a Vitamin D deficiency. This nutrient has a wide range of benefits: Increased absorption of phosphorous and calcium, normalization of your immune system, disease prevention (MS, heart disease, the flu), reduction in depression, and it helps with fat loss.
- The great outdoors makes us happier and less stressed. According to the Harvard Health Letter, “Light tends to elevate people’s mood,” and walking outside in nature helps ease your brain off the constant over-stimulation of the daily grind. (1)
- More time outside = Better sleep. It’s been shown that exposure to sunlight early in the morning can help re-calibrate a person’s circadian rhythms. Basically, it acts as a deterrent from our constant blue light exposure (you know, that light shining from the multitude of screens vying for your attention right now).
As a bonus benefit, if you touch your bare skin to the earth, it’s what’s called “grounding” or “earthing.” This connects your body (which has a buildup of positive charge) with the ground (which has a slightly negative charge), returning the body to a neutral, healthy state.
Stay healthy and get out there!
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