Are You Getting Enough Vitamin N?

According to Richard Louv, American journalist and author of the bestseller, “Last Child in the Woods,” there’s a very serious, yet rarely-talked about medical condition that’s sweeping the modern world. It’s slowly wrecking havoc on the minds and bodies of adults and children alike, and impeding our children’s optimal growth and development. That condition, Louv claims, is NDD: Nature Deficit Disorder.

Don’t laugh! While the name may seem a bit cheesy, Louv’s theory that we’re not spending enough time outdoors has been backed by quite a bit of scientific research. That research is telling us that spending too much time inside could be doing a number on our health.

Studies and Findings

While being outside seems to be important for all of us, the main health concerns behind lack of outside time seem to be centered around our kids. Once a hallmark of childhood, outdoor play is less frequent and lengthy than ever in American history. Many researchers believe that less outdoor time and more screen time (6-9 hours per day for most kids, according to Common Sense Media) is a big contributing factor in climbing childhood obesity rates, as well as in the rise in rates of childhood anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

Not surprisingly, kids aren’t the only ones affected by lack of outdoor time. Check out this video from ASAPScience about what would happen to your body if you stopped going outside:

Perhaps it’s not that being inside is bad for us, but that getting out in nature — or, as Louv calls it, getting our “Vitamin N” — is incredibly good for us. By staying inside too much, we’re depriving ourselves of some major health benefits. Numerous studies clearly show that spending quality time outside contributes to our mental and physical well-being. Here are just a few highlights to consider:

• A University of Michigan study found that our memory and concentration can improve by up to 20% after an hour spent interacting with nature.
• Several studies, including one recently released by Stanford, show that participants who spent time in nature reported less “brooding”, or rumination. Stanford also noted that participants showed less activity in the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s cognitive and emotional command center that gets flooded when we’re stressed and anxious.
• Historic research by Japanese scientists shows that time in nature reduces blood pressure, cortisol, heart rate, and sympathetic nerve activity.
• Several studies show a link between spending time in a natural environment and improved immune function.
• Spending time outside can boost your creativity, according to researchers at the University of Utah.
• Getting outdoors can help your mental outlook! One study showed just five minutes spent performing light exercise outside significantly enhanced participants’ moods and feelings of self-esteem.

How to Get Your Vitamin N

If you have the luxury of a yard with some greenery, or nearby access to natural settings, spending some more time in those places is an obvious choice! But if you don’t, try some of the following options:

1. Find a park and spend some time in it. Many of the studies on the benefits of being outside were conducted on people who live in urban areas, and simply involved participants spending time in parks or on walking trails in or near the city. Try it for yourself!
2. Take your workout outdoors. Getting any exercise in a natural setting is a great way to reap the benefits of being outside.
3. Take some of your family time outside. Want more QT with the family? Designate some weekly time to leave the screens behind and get outside together, whether it’s as simple as a picnic in the park, or as exciting as a whitewater rafting trip.
4. Plant a garden. As CNN points out, gardening gives us the stress-relieving benefits of being outdoors. And if you don’t have a ton of space, you can try out your green thumb by container gardening or planting a few flowers on your balcony or doorstep.
5. Green up your space! There’s something about just seeing plants that makes us feel better, and, as Psychology Today illustrates, studies show that even bringing few potted plants inside can give us some of the well-being boosts that nature provides. For bonus points, try adding plants that improve indoor air quality to your home or work space.
6. Try youth outdoor programs! ‘Tis the season for outdoor camps! If your kids could use some time away from screens, look for camps and community programs that take them outside.
7. Take your family vacation outdoors. Swap the amusement park trip for a campground stay to help your family relax and experience nature.
8. Get involved in maintaining your community’s green spaces. Not only will you get outside, you’ll help preserve crucial natural areas for your friends and neighbors. Many city parks and rec departments have volunteer programs, and as do city environmental councils and environmentally-focused nonprofit organizations.
9. Use your LifeBalance discounts on outdoor recreation! If you haven’t checked out LifeBalance discounts on outdoor services, you’re missing out! From horseback riding to hiking, kayaking to zip lining, there are all kinds of deals on getting outside! Just log in to LifeBalanceProgram.com, select Find Savings by Interest and click on the Outdoor Adventures tile to view savings options in your area.
10. Help us provide you with more deals on outdoor adventures! If there’s an outdoor store, kayak rental shop, summer camp, or other business that helps you or your colleagues get outside, let us know! We’ll gladly reach out and find out if they can offer savings.

Additional Resources

Learning about the health benefits of being out in nature was pretty fascinating for us, and we found more great information than we could squeeze in this article! If you’re interested in the topic, here are a few resources we came across that you may enjoy.

Videos:

Peter Grey: The Decline of Play

Ben Klasky: Get Hooked on Nature

Books:

Eva M. Selhub: Your Brain on Nature

Richard Louv: Last Child in the Woods

Richard Louv: The Nature Principle

Articles:

The New York Times: Greenery (or Even Pictures of Trees) Can Make us Happier

Psychology Today: Nature’s RX: Green Time’s Effects on ADHD

Natural Wildlife Foundation Blog: It’s in the Dirt! Bacteria in Soil May Make us Happier, Smarter

Disclaimer: As always, our articles are simply intended to share information, and not to provide any medical advice. If you have questions or concerns about spending time outdoors and the impact it might have on your health, we encourage you to speak with your doctor.

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