Think about how much time you spent outside last week. Really "outside." Walking from the car into the mall doesn't count.
Now think about how much time you spent indoors—on the Internet or playing video games or watching TV.
You may say, "I play inside more than outside and I like to play games on the computer."
If so, it's likely that you spent more time inside four walls than outside in fresh air. Kids today spend two fewer hours per week on sports and outdoor activities than kids did 20 years ago. That's according to a University of Michigan study. Non-moving activities are more popular. The costs "include overweight, greater stress, higher rates of physical and emotional illness and less joy…," says Richard Louv, writer of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.
Play is important, even for adults.
Outdoor activity betters your senses. The next time you sit down to message your friends, take note of your senses during and after your texting. Then do the same experiment after you've done something outside. You will find being outdoors brings the senses to life. "Hiking, exploring, and fishing help hone all of your senses," says Betsy Keller. She's a professor of exercise and sports sciences at Ithaca College in New York. "Smell, sight... all of your senses are in use when you're outside."
Outdoor play frees your mind. Are you stressed out? Having trouble devoting your mind to what you're doing? Too much time indoors — away from the natural world — may be a cause. Louv uses a term to describe the set of problems caused by too much time indoors: nature deficit disorder. He says, "I use it to describe the price we pay for being so separated from nature."
Spending time outdoors brings you closer to the environment. When you're out, breathe in fresh air, hear the leaves crackle underfoot and search cool birds and plants in the woods. It can help you feel more connected to the natural world. No woods nearby? Nature can be found right outside your back door or in your local park.
So the next time you sit down to spend quality time with a video game, consider treating yourself to a little outdoor play instead.
