Spending Too Much Time Inside Could Impact Your Health

On average, how much time do you think you spend inside per day?

Research has found that most Americans only spend 10% of their day outside. That’s roughly two and a half hours a day that we spend breathing fresh air and absorbing natural sunlight on our skin. While there have been many studies that suggest that working in areas with natural light may make you more productive, the Mayo Clinic is digging deeper into this matter.

The Mayo Clinic is in the process of configuring a study that will determine what affect being indoors has on your body. They will be measuring every little thing from the materials around you to the smells, lighting and so much more.

They have put together a space called the Well Living Lab where all testing will occur. The lab contains a series of rooms that look very similar to an average office space, bedroom, kitchen, etc., which can be configured in any way they would like, based on the group being tested. It can be transformed into a large conference space, eight studio apartments, 12 hotel rooms, or any combination of the above.

However, unlike a normal office space or bedroom every inch of the room is being monitored. It is tracking everything from the lighting to how much pressure is being applied to certain body parts when a person is seated or lying down. All subjects involved will be monitored 24/7.

Although there is no definitive proof of whether this will work, people hypothesize that the impact will be larger than expected. Think about the days you spend indoors versus the days you get to run outside or sit by the pool and soak up some sun. I know that my body craves even the slightest bit of fresh air in order to keep a clear mind, stay energized and affective.

Until the results are in, I strongly suggest trying to beat the norm by getting outside more than 2 hours a day. Record the results for yourself to see if that could just be one of the things that will make you more efficient and affective.

H/T: Fast Company