Maximum security prisoners get 2 hours a day outside.
Our average time outside is 1.7 hours. And our kids get even less.
A 2016 survey done by power brands Persil and OMO (I can not find the original research) says that kids spend less than 2 hours a day outside.
These brands then teamed with outside play advocates to start the “Dirt is Good” project to get kids playing outside. Of course the dirtier kids get, the more laundry has be done, and the more laundry detergent sold.
Still the health benefits of being outside close to trees for all ages is growing.
Tree aerosols are everywhere and are showing proof of improved immunity, enhanced creativity, better sleep, faster healing rates, relief from anxiety and depression, better overall health, living longer, and feeling richer.
If you subscribe to my blog at Treesmendus.com you get a free Tree Air Action Plan (TAAP).
TAAP gives you the outside activity (dose) and benefit (response).
Even a few minutes outside gives benefits – almost instantly.
This seems like the easiest health hack ever. But, it is difficult for us. The demands to keep us inside are great. We are all under some kind of house arrest.
If you join our facebook group it is designed to help you find small ways to get outside more often. Here is the link to FB Group Ditch Inside For Outside Tribe.
I hope you join us. This group will help boomers and millennials who want to go outside more often. We will find small ways to do this –even if we are too tired or too busy.
We will explore the most powerful tool in the world, your brain, and how you can harness its power to get outside more often.
You’ll discover:
Why you want to stay inside.
Why staying inside does not solve anything, and can actually make you feel worse
The steps to break the staying inside habit.
And we will do this together slowly.
The first step in this process is to become aware of our outside activity.
Here is a simple outside audit tool to get you started. In our fb group we will talk about how you are feeling before, during, and after going outside.
So let’s get out of our house arrest and try to match the two hours a day that prisoners spend outside. It is not always easy. Let’s find small ways to do this together, often. Again, please join my facebook group.
My next post will be on how to dress for the outside if you are sun sensitive. At the top of my gear list is my Columbia hat. It is UPF 50, water and stain resistant. has a draw string to prevent it from blowing off my head. The hat is light and has breathing mesh, so no hot head. It bunches up in my tiny backpack and keeps it’s shape. I have several.
I am Guilty of not getting outside enough! I love the idea of your Facebook group.
How amazing all the benefits that the trees give us.
Great so see someone getting some awareness out there, keep it up. I will be sharing this post with everyone I know!
Over the winter I think I am worse than a prisoner! Now that spring is here I’m much better though. My garden won’t plant itself!
I am guilty of this. Been cooped all day long. This is an eye opener. Thanks for sharing.
Funny enough, I am guilty of this too. Been cooped in all day. Guilty. This is an eye opener.
Yikes, that’s crazy to think that prisoners spend more time outside than I do. What an eye-opener! I guess that’s just another way that the rise of the Internet has manipulated my (and I’m sure plenty of others’) lifestyle. Guess it’s time to start making some changes!!!
Wow. I had never even thought about being inside like that! I need to get outside more!
I always try to go outside for some amount of time everyday!
Sooo guilty of this 🙁 I need to commit to getting outside more.
Oh wow, this is crazy to think about. I do wish kids spent more time outside during the school day. Our school has created an outdoor learning/reading center which I love though!
Thanks for this great reminder of the health benefits of daily time outside. I know I don’t make the 2 hour mark on most days but it will now be my goal!
This post has been on my mind since I first saw it! I did not realize how much we are inside, but it is true. This weekend I have planned to take my granddaughter to the outdoor farmers market, and then to the park for lunch and afternoon play! I of course will have the benefit of being outdoors as well!
We live in four season country that get very cold in winter down to -40℃ and up to 5 months most of the time, it is quite hard to be outside, but we love to be outside all the time during summer because we garden too
Those statistics are crazy! I have never thought of our outside in terms of timed amounts, but now that I have read this I realize how little we actually get out! Great eye opener.
Great post. It is so important to get outside! And what a great analogy!
This was great! Now that the warmer weather is here I moved a desk and chair outside under an old pine tree. I’ll admit that I occasionally get distracted by squirrels (literally) lol, but I’m so much more relaxed. We definitely need to get out more!
Outside is such a beautiful place to be! It is raining right now, and I look forward to the petrichor. I joined your Facebook group, so thank you for sharing it.
After seeing this post yesterday, that was all I could think of while I was at work. I am a prisoner – unable to see the outside. Very touching post.
Wow, how sobering!