Mumsnet users share with VELUX what think of the time they spend indoors and the "indoor generation"

[JustineBMumsnet]

NOW CLOSED

It’s no secret that spending time outside getting fresh air and daylight is beneficial for a variety of reasons. A new study by VELUX showed that people spend more time inside than they realise – often spending 90% of their time indoors, and they’d like to hear your thoughts on this.

Here’s what Grant Sneddon, Velux daylight expert has to say: “Whether we’re at home, in work or school or even commuting, we spend most of our time inside poorly lit and ventilated spaces. Why is this interesting? Well, if we’re spending most of our time indoors then it means we’re not getting enough fresh air and daylight, which can affect our sleep, mood and productivity. But there are simple ways to get the health benefits of natural daylight and fresh air in the home such as opening your windows three to four times a day to allow fresh air in."

How much time do you think you spend indoors? What do you think of the claims that we’ve become an indoor generation? Do you have tips for ensuring your family gets the benefits of daylight and fresh air while you’re spending time indoors?

All who post sharing their thoughts or tips below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 John Lewis voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

[M0reGinPlease]

We love being outdoors as a family, but even when we're inside we open all the windows first thing in the morning to let plenty of fresh air in. We also have several Velux Windows in our house to help let in as much light as possible- they're fab for ventilation too.

[defineme]

In the school holidays and wwekends we are outside a lot of the day, but on a school/work day I am grateful the kids have a 30 minute walk each way to school and we have a dog so that helps with getting out in the evenings. Winter is the worst though!

[Treaclespongeandcustard]

We mostly live outside when the weather is nice. We do tend to shelter indoors when the sun is at its hottest.

[leghairdontcare]

Its been so much easier with the dry weather. I live in Wales so can tolerate a bit of rain but if it's dry and war m then there is no reason to stay in.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I spend far too much time indoors - I teach in a stiflingly hot classroom with a window that only opens a few inches and have a windowless office. I've been known to stick my nose out of the slit in the classroom window at break times, just to try to get a sniff of fresh air.

I need to be far more disciplined with myself in making sure I get out for a walk in the evenings next term.

Loving the weather so far this holiday, as it's so much easier to get out and about and just soak up the environment. We're lucky enough to be surrounded by parks and nice coffee shops, and have made lots of use of them this week!

[cheekychicken24]

We try to get outdoors, but the trouble is with busy lives, the chances of the weather coinciding with days off are fairly remote (with the exception of this summer!)It usually seems to be dry when we're at work, & pouring down at the weekend when we could actually go somewhere!

[AimlesslyPurposeful]

We have dogs so have no choice but to get out every day.

I don’t work though and no longer do the school run so probably do spend rather a lot of time indoors.

I suppose it depends on where you live as to whether you spend a lot of time inside. Living and working in a city probably means you spend a lot more time inside than someone living out in the countryside who has more opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and clean fresh air.

I hadn’t thought about making sure we have daylight and fresh air when we’re indoors but we always have the French windows to the garden open so that the dogs can go in and out as they please so we’re not lacking fresh air.

[PickAChew]

We're out for several hours a day during the holidays, weather permitting. I tend to stay out of the sun, if I can, though. I spend more time at home and indoors during term time, but no one would have any clean clothes to wear and so on, if I didn't.

[Lovelydovey]

We nearly always have the windows and French doors open - I can’t bear a stuffy house and would rather be too cold with good ventilation than too hot! First thing I do when I get in is open windows.

[EggysMom]

I know that I spend too little time outside - it's actually less during the summer than during the winter, as I cannot be doing with heat, sweating, having to wear factor 50 (vitiligo). So I go from house to car to office to car to supermarket to house, and probably don't even spend 30 minutes outside some days.

Our son is fortunately not yet into devices and gaming, so he's spending most of the summer outdoors in our garden.

[abitoflight]

Out to local veg shop or high street/pub by foot daily
I Go for lunchtime walk if at work
Other days, I get the driving stuff done early and get out walking
Feels so wrong if a day without a decent walk outside and I love the feeling of a good fast walk after being inside

[JulesJules]

We definitely don't spend as much time outside as I'd like. However, the children walk to school - 10/15 mins each way, and I have a 10 min walk each side of the bus each day - so 40 mins walking a day and I really value that time for the fresh air and exercise. When we're all off together we try and get outside, we're lucky to live in easy reach of coast and countryside. I think I feel better and sleep better when I've spent time outside.

[Wolfcub]

Probably a fair bit more than 90%. I work at home most of the time so I have no commute most days. Ds is old enough to walk to school and therefore no going outside for the school run and I get my shopping delivered!

[LlamaPyjamas]

Depends what you mean by “outdoors”. In nice weather we spend a lot of time out on the patio but still within WiFi range and using smartphones, tablets and laptops. When the weather isn’t so nice we rarely go out apart from essential trips such as going to work. We do open the windows and we’ve installed a bifold door which opens up the house to the garden.

[jmh740]

We spend too much time inside. We've recently moved to a house with a garden and I've enjoyed sitting outside, last 6 week holidays the children were stuck in and bored it's nice they can spend more time outside. In day to day life I wish we spent more time outdoors but by the time were home from school had tea done home work relaxed in front of the tv etc then it's time for bed. I have to get out of the house everyday even if it's just a walk round the block my husband on the other hand would be happy to spend all weekend lounging around in his pjs our son is like his Dad while our daughter is more like me.

[LadyLoveYourWhat]

First thing I do each morning is open our Fakro windows and say hello to the world. We all walk to work/school every day and I try and get outside at lunchtime. While it's sunny we try to eat outside as much as we can.

[QuarrellingElephants]

I spend far too much time indoors, even though I love being outdoors! We have had patio doors put in where there was once a window, which makes a huge difference to us in terms of light and fresh air. Once my baby starts toddling, and the heat waves ends, I hope we will spend lots more time in the park!

[Fanjango]

I have 4 kids. I love them all to bits. One is diagnosed asd/gad and medicated for anxiety. We spend far too much time indoors, long gone are the expectations of a day out, a few hours is a blessing. Planning is the key, disabled toilets are a must, food is important and quiet spaces to withdraw to when it gets too much. It's

[MrsFrTedCrilly]

It very much depends on the time of year for us although with work and school hours I feel like we rarely see sunlight in winter!
I think it’s bunkum to suggest that we are an outdoor generation I reckon we just like the idea of the outdoors rather than the reality of getting off the sofa

[Beeziekn33ze]

I'm slightly disabled. Didn't got out much in the winter for fear of slipping. Finally the sun shone and I haven't been out much in the uncomfortably hot weather.
I'm having a new lawn laid so haven't even been in the garden much lately. Really need to make sure I take at least a small walk each day!

[SusanWalker]

I spend a depressingly large amount of time indoors. DS has anxiety and struggles to leave the house so I have to stay in with him. It sucks.

[icklekid]

During a typical work/school day most of the time we are indoors but in the summer my 2 much prefer outdoors. When we had an extension large amounts of daylight was really important - windows, sky lights and bifold doors. Currently the first thing we do in the morning is open the bifold fully. I agree that you get some benefits from having natural daylight even if your inside...

[NastyCats]

My husband works in an office which doesn't even have a window and he has a longish commute in tubes and trains so he spends very little time outside. He has a chronic illness so often by the weekend he is so tired he stays inside most of the time but he loves cricket so during the season he often spends Saturday and Sunday on the pitch.
I do spend most of my time inside, I suppose, but I love the countryside and nature and try to get out in it. On holiday we do manage to pretty much live outside. I have psoriasis so the sun really helps my skin!

[1969angep]

At the moment we are spending most of our time indoors as this recent weather has been too hot for prolonged periods outside! We eat all of our meals al fresco in the summertime (under a parasol lol) which is lovely. I'd say most of our outdoor time is in Spring and Autumn rather than summer.

[plavender]

I'm outside for around 2 hours every day. This question has really made me think about how 'indoorsy' I've become! At weekends and in the holidays we try to do more outside things.