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

[JustineBMumsnet]

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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

Probably spend to much time inside but always try to get a walk in everyday.

During Winter we definitely spend too much time indoors, but we walk to school every day and have a dog, so we're out doors for at least an hour every day. During summer we practically live outdoors, even sleeping out on the trampoline if its a dry night.

We're lucky in that our house is south facing so that even on colder days the house and garden are warm, so we have the windows and back door open most days.

I love being indoors but luckily have lovely big windows so get lots of natural light. I hate being in gloomy spaces I can feel my mood dip.

I try to get us outside as a family every day. I just think natural light is so important even if it is a grey day. My colleague at work actually suggested that I have lunch by a huge window and it helps my mood improve.

I love being outdoors but when winter comes it's great to get back to a warm fire. My house is definitely a winter house, rather than a summer one!

We try and get outdoors when we can but with winter approaching we will defintely be spending more time indoors. We are in the North of Scotland so summers can be short and few and far between so it is important that our indoor space is always light and airy and tidy and clean and pleasant to be in as we can be in it quite a lot!

90%? Really? Wow! That's really surprising to me. My husband is always on about light and skylights and keeps pointing to our sloping roof and saying how skylights would make it better. I'm quite happy hibernating in a dim room under a blanket but we do get outdoors more than 10% on a typical day. Usually the trampoline manages that. Failing that my 'can't sit still for 10 mins' husband will drag us out on an adventure.

Fresh air and ventilating my home makes a massive difference to my energy and my children's behaviour. We react really badly to fumes from cooking with gas, and from having the central heating on (I presume because of toxins from carpets, flame retardants etc going into the air).

You can tell our house because it's the one with all the windows wide open for most of the year! We try to spend as much time outdoors as we can, but it's probably not much more than about 2 hours a day.

This past summer we made a point to be out more in the wonderful weather but in general I'd say we spend too much time indoors. Usually it's the weather to blame!

I spend a lot of times in door due to a nasty neighbor who shouts obscenities at me. I haven been in my beautiful garden in over 8 months.

I have two boys and they love to be outside so I fight really hard not to be an indoor family. We have full waterproofs and we are always outside whatever the weather.

We spend as much time as we can outdoors and love walking, cycling and the countryside. We also go on night walks up the local fells, it is so peaceful and I love watching the owls.

Thanks for your posts everyone! The winner of the prize draw is @SillyMoomin

ooh thank you!!