90%. The amount of time Westerners spend indoors daily. This figure to me is insanity.

Definition of human being - a man, woman, or child of the species Homo sapiens, distinguished from other animals by superior mental development. When I found this definition online I laughed at the ‘superior mental development’ section. In what world (literally) are humans superior than all the other animals combined, if we destroy the planet we live on, manipulate vulnerable beings of our own species for personal gain and don’t happily exist in a eco-system we are trying to destroy. We are animals. Just because we are brought up in a consumerist, marketing and greed-driven world, does not mean we should deny our inherent nature, and opt for a lifestyle we are not made for.

I would like to note that most animals are driven by a hunger, and some a greed. Yet it is the Western hunger for money that has replaced all other morals and values such as care for the environment, and care for other people across the planet, care for those whom we are getting our products from – this is the apex of the issue.

We all know we need to spend more time outdoors, and if you really need some more convincing, I’ll give it my best shot:

·       The more time you spend outside during the day, the easier you fall asleep at night. This is especially important in this screen-obsessed day and age where people fall asleep literally with their phones in their hands. The more time spent outside, the more effectively the body produces melatonin, the chemical that aides our sleepiness, meaning you’ll get to sleep faster and have a deeper rest.

·       Vitamin D. We all need it. Most of us are deprived for it. And before you moan to yourself that you live in a cold, grey, country that barely gets any sun – I feel you. I live in London and I long for more sun. However, the sun doesn’t have to shine all day every-day for us to get our daily dose of Vitamin D. JUST GO OUTSIDE. On a personal note, due to my Middle Eastern heritage, my body requires a larger amount of Vitamin D, than other ethnicities. So if I can get the correct dose of Vitamin D, in London, with an original deficiency – you can too.

·       Energy levels. Being outside renews our sense of focus and gives us a definite energy boost. For me, I love being outside to the extent that it feels like it gives me a new lease on life! You know those days that you haven’t been outside, you’ve barely managed to change out of your pyjamas and you feel like you’ve got a head flu even though you know you’re in perfectly good health – go for a walk. It will make a tremendous difference – trust me, I’ve tried and tested this method.

·       Mental health. Did you know that taking walks outside, and focusing on long-distance objects such as the horizon is scientifically proven to help alleviate depression-like moods. This is because being outside stimulates the brain, and helps us get out of this downward spiral of over-thinking. Not only that, but if you make a rule that you won’t go on your phone when you’re outside, you get a break from screen-time, giving your eyes, mind (and neck) a much needed rest.

Right, I hope I’ve managed to convince you. I’m all about taking personal responsibility for our own life choices and making time to go outside definitely falls into this category. One of my biggest pet peeves of all time is when people say ‘I don’t have time’. Yes you do. You have 24 hours in a day. You have 86,400 seconds in a day, and it is how you USE those seconds which count. It is how you USE those seconds which make the difference between having a successful life (in terms of health, happiness and living the life you want to live) and being a miserable, unconscious robot.

  Schedule out your day, divide all your actions into different blocks. For example, work, school, schoolwork etc. The schedule in your hobbies, like swimming, exercise, reading. Then see what time you start ‘work/whatever you do’ and check the sunrise and sunset and MAKE TIME IN BETWEEN. If you genuinely cannot find a time before or after work, then find a time DURING. By law you are meant to get breaks (in the UK anyways) so there’s no excuses here 😊. Why not go for a lunchtime walk by yourself or with some colleagues, get in the fresh air and take a mental break from office life.

 Weekends/days off. The perfect time to take a drive/train to a woodland/nature reserve if you don’t live near one and have a nice super long walk. You don’t have to exert yourself – just spend time in nature, appreciating the beauty of the natural world and really get that outdoorsy feeling.

 Holidays. An even more perfect time to spend outdoors, though they are probably less frequent than weekends for most of us. When planning your next holiday, whether cultural, recreational or sunbathing-anol, why not research outdoor activities you can do? If it’s a cultural trip you could take a walking tour round the city. If it’s recreational, you could find some water-activities such as kayaking. Once you open up your mind to these possibility, the opportunities of being outdoors seems endless.

 For the last few years I have spent AT LEAST 1 hour a day outside. With the recent windy weather in England, this has probably gone down to about 40 minutes. My point is – you don’t have to berate yourself with it. Going outside shouldn’t be a chore but something you relish and enjoy. If the weather is extremely intolerable, that’s okay too. Just don’t waste another sunny (or in London’s case non-rainy) day 😊

Love, Munia