Time Outdoors is More Important Than You Know

Sights, smells and the wow factor

Simply spending quiet, contemplative time in forests or other green spaces is known to improve health. In Japan, “forest bathing” is a popular health-promoting activity that involves little more than walking or just lying down out there.

Even a mere whiff of the natural world is healthy. When scientists took people out into Sherwood Forest and other UK woodlands during various seasons, they found that the natural scents, as well as pure, unscented fresh air, made them feel relaxed, happy and healthy. “Nature is a multisensory experience, and our research demonstrates the potential significance of smell for well-being,” said study leader Jessica Fisher, PhD, who researches environmental challenges in biodiversity management at the University of Kent.

Walking (or jogging) in nature offers a wonderful double-dose of goodness, of course. Or to be more accurate: something like a quadruple dose.

Consider the sheer wow factor. A recent study detailed in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that witnessing beautiful, fleeting natural events like sunrises, sunsets and rainbows offers more than momentary enjoyment.

“Our research indicates that getting up a bit earlier for sunrise or timing a walk to catch sunset could be well worth the effort,” said study leader Alex Smalley, a PhD fellow at the University of Exeter. “The ‘wow’ factor associated with these encounters might unlock small but significant bumps in feelings of beauty and awe, which could in turn have positive impacts for mental well-being.”

And on that note: Going outside early in the day, to soak up natural daylight, is among the most important routines any of us can add to our mix of healthy behaviors.

Setting your body clock

Natural daylight is at least 1,000 times brighter than home or office lighting, even on a cloudy day. It’s the single most important factor governing the circadian rhythm, an internal body clock that control our sleep-wake cycle in numerous ways. When properly set, the body clock, among other tasks, tells your brain to release the hormone melatonin in the evening, helping to make you sleepy. It then suppresses melatonin in the morning, so you’ll be awake, alert, and ready to face the day productively.

Genetics and other factors play a role, too, so not everyone’s body clock is naturally set to the same hours.

Nonetheless, getting plenty of natural daylight, absorbed through the eyes and with proper skin protection as needed, helps us fall asleep and wake up at consistent times—keys to getting high-quality, deep sleep that’s vital to rejuvenating the brain and repairing the body on a nightly basis.

A recent 2022 study in the Journal of Pineal Research monitored 507 college students with wrist-worn devices to track daylight exposure and sleep habits across all four seasons. For every hour of exposure to daylight, participants went to bed 30 minutes earlier.

“We need to get out — even for a little while and especially in the morning — to get that natural light exposure,” said the study’s senior author, Horacio de la Iglesia, PhD, a professor of biology at the University of Washington.

There’s no official threshold for how much daylight we need, but several experts say two hours per day is a good minimum to aim for. There’s much to gain beyond a single night of good sleep. Exposure to natural daylight reduces insomnia, boosts moods and is linked to lower levels of depression, according to a 2021 analysis of data on 400,000 people and other research led by Sean Cain, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Monash University in Australia.

“My general advice for everyone is simple: when the sun is out, get as much light as you can, but after it sets, keep it dark,” Cain said. “Your body will thank you.”

Robert Roy Britt is an independent journalist covering physical health and mental wellness, and the author of “Make Sleep Your Superpower: A Guide to Greater Health, Happiness & Productivity.”