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!

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My work is indoors. I also tend to eat meals inside even when the weather is hot.

We love being outside - be it in our garden or visiting the local country parks. But we also love being inside too. Big board game, movie and computer gaming fans in our household. Just aside, our velux windows are the focal point of our loft conversion - they really do bring the outside inside!

It's been a fabulous summer this year, and we have spent lots of time outdoors, either walking with the dog or exploring local countryside.

When we're indoors, the windows are wide open, letting in as much sunlight as possible. Our next door neighbour had a row of cypress trees at the bottom of their garden, which restricted light into our North facing living room. They have just had them chopped down, and we're enjoying the light coming back in the room.

It's so healthy to be outdoors, so much to see and do.

We definitely spend most of the working week indoors, but I make an effort to go out for a walk at lunchtime, and also a quick walk around our office a couple of times throughout the day. DS not so much of an issue as a lot of the school day is still spent outdoors. The school run is usually car in the morning then walking in the afternoon which is nice.

Weekends we usually have at least one of the days doing a long walk or cycling along the beach, then there's always work to do in the garden and washing windows and the car so I'm hoping that about 40-50% of weekends are spent outside. I'm loving this cooler weather now as I must admit we've been tending to stay indoors a lot during the heatwave.

I spend a lot of time inside. 8-5 in an office, I eat at my desk too because we’re a small company and the phone always rings over lunchtime.
During summer we’re in the garden as much as possible but in winter, I hate going outside.
My DS spends a lot of time outside at pre-school but I definitely need to do more with him outside, no matter what the weather.

I hardly ever go outdoors, which is probably why I’ve recently had to be treated for vitamin D deficiency

We spend a lot more time outdoors in the spring and summer in our garden. Even indoors I like to encourage the kids to play lots and Tay active as opposed to being in front of screens.

Indoors though we have the windows open for some fresh air every day, although lots of wasps about in the past few days means they’ve not been open as much.

We try to go for a walk every day but teenage dd is reluctant, although she does walk to and from school every day. When we're at home during the summer we have the back door and windows open all the time. During the winter my bedroom window is open most of the time and I open the living room window to air the room every morning.

We're outdoors quite a lot though do enjoy the odd pj day at home! Saying that, if I have too long inside I do feel a bit cooped & need to get some fresh air and exercise.
The DC love being outside - sometimes we leave home about 9am and don't get back until around 5pm having spent the whole day at the park / zoo / farm etc.
And with the good weather & light nights it's easy to get the kids in the garden!

I do love the outdoors but over the years we have definitely become more homebound. I say we only leave the house if we have to. If I’m not working I can spend all my time indoors.

We have a huge extension downstairs fitted with 4 large Velux windows. For my twin toddlers we have set up a swing, slide, and trampoline area for them. They love to be active, playing on the equipment and dancing on gym mats. While they play in that area with the windows open to let fresh air in, I can watch them from the kitchen area while meal prepping ready for when my husband comes home. The best part of the indoor Velux play area in when it starts to rain, the play doesn't need to stop! We simply shut the windows, then look up hopeful a rainbow will appear soon.

Depends so much on the weather/time of year and time off work- but we definitley prefer being outdoors and everyone always feels better for a walk - even in gales or snow!!

Doesn't mean we don't still love the odd duvet day while we listen to the rain outside though!

try to keep them interested in the outdoors.nt parks are fab days out.go find a field and play.let them run wild.suggest walks not as walking but just for time out together so its not a chore.
encourage time out even in the garden.if if you have a balcony.cloud watch.spot flowers etc.
picnics.even in the garden.
throw the ball.
keep windown open when you can and doors if possible to let the fresh air through.
make it part of every day life not something forced/chore/made to do for exercise etc.its just paet of life being in and out.

I suspect I spend quite a lot indoors, especially now my DDs are slightly older. I work 4 days a week in an office (albeit with large floor length windows) but when at home I spend a lot of time in our kitchen with the doors to the garden wide open (I appreciate this is easy to do whilst experiencing a heatwave).
However, I know that being outside is really therapeutic: I go wild swimming whenever possible in a local lake, and love the feel of the breeze on my face. Do feel like I spend a lot of the time trying to coax teenagers outside of their bedrooms though!

Generally during holidays half term we are in more than during schoool term, I have general rule that regardless the weather we must spend min 2 hr outside ( even if it’s garden patio or balcony , fresh air is fresh air); here in Italy where we live there is almost a cult of airing the house, so every day all our windows are open to create air change, for an hr in the winter longer in. The summer, during high heat only early in the morning or late after sunset...
We love our house so we live time inside it...

We spend most of your day indoors, but I do tend to try chuck DS out on nice days even if we're not going anywhere that day. Fresh air, nature and exercise are essential to wellbeing. I find if I spend too much time indoors it impacts badly on my physical and mental health (do live being indoors and cosy on rainy and cold days, though!).

I always spend several hours outside every day. I go running and walk dogs.
If it's dry I will go and read or work on laptop on the beach.
But if it wet weather I probably spend 90% of time inside.
My teenages.. Well I'd love to say they are out doing healthy things everyday but they do spend a lot of time undercthe duvet.

I have horses so I spend a lot of my time outdoors, I also grow my own veg which keeps me outside as does my flower garden. Despite the fact that we live in the country, my children do not spend enough time outdoors. My 17yro DS will sometimes go out for walks with his gaggle of friends and my DD, aged 12, walks to the community centre once a week for the village drama club, it takes her about 2.5 minutes. I asked her the other week if she fancied walking the dog with me and her reply was " Do you know something Mum? I'm not a fan of the outside" ...True Story

I spend more time outside during the summer and when the weather is nice. But in general as I have a dog and a toddler we are outside everyday. I agree that fresh air is important so I always ensure my son has a chance to run in the garden or in the park, not that he needs much persuading!
When we are indoors I open some of the windows to air the house and open the blinds as I feel lethargic if it’s stuffy and dark!

During the summer holidays I've really missed my morning walk to drop off my son to school. It's a 40 minute round trip and it's a great way to start the day before i go to work myself. So now every morning after breakfast my son and I head out for a walk in the large nearby park where it's possible to forget you live in London and traffic noises can't really be heard. We always spot squirrels and listen to bird song. I read recently that we should all listen to birdsong everyday. If we don't hear birdsong our body becomes stressed and thinks there is danger as birds don't sing at times of danger.

I do worry about the amount of time we spend indoors and think it's far too much. Our lives are very indoorsy as most people don't go out to grow food or tend to animals or collect water, firewood. Modern lifestyle is actually not very healthy. Unless we make a special effory to go out for a walk work or for shopping etc we're just stuck indoors.

I definitely spend too much time indoors. I’ve recently started getting involved with gardening and have been enjoying spending more time outside.

Depends on weather and time of week. Weekdays I try and go for a walk at lunchtime. Weekend, if it's raining and cold then very little, otherwise if sunny almost all day

Since moving to the country a year ago I get to spend lots of time outside - having no neighbours means we’re more likely to eat outside or sit outside chatting after our son is in bed. Still like to keep windows open as much as possible in the house though - fresh air is healthy (even during muck spreading lol)

it's fine when the weather isn't too wet or too cold or too hot to go outdoors but the rest of the time (which is most the time) i have to confess that we are all indoors a lot!

Always feel better when i have been out for a walk or spent time in the garden but just can't find time to build it into every day