Show 1478: The Outdoor Prescription for Fighting Dementia, Depression and Heart Disease

Too many of us are spending our days staring at screens. Little screens on our phones, big screens on the television, medium-size screens on our computers at work. Our modern lifestyles mean that we spend the vast majority of our time indoors–93%, on average. What is the time inside doing to our health? Is there an outdoor prescription to reverse dementia and depression? At The People’s Pharmacy, we strive to bring you up to date, rigorously researched insights and conversations about health, medicine, wellness and health policies and health systems. While these conversations intend to offer insight and perspective, the content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical care or treatment. How You Can Listen You could listen through your local public radio station or get the live stream at 7 am EST on Saturday, June 27, 2026, through your computer or smart phone (wunc.org).  Here is a link so you can find which stations carry our broadcast. If you can’t listen to the broadcast, you may wish to hear the podcast later. You can subscribe through your favorite podcast provider, download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of the page, or listen to the stream on this post starting on June 29, 2026. What Is Our Indoor Time Doing to Us? Humans used to spend a lot of time outside and had their circadian rhythms synchronized with sunlight. Living indoors as most of us do can disrupt that natural rhythm. Bright indoor lighting as well as our favorite screens in the evening can make sleep more elusive. Another consequence of focusing on screens rather than on a distant horizon of land, sea or sky is an increased risk of nearsightedness. Beyond that, screen exposure can increase the chance of brain fog, insulin resistance and immune system abnormalities. If you are spending all your time inside, your body may process that as captivity and begin to rebel. The Outdoor Prescription Dr. John La Puma pioneered culinary medicine, making the connection between what we eat and the state of our health. His analysis of the research indicates that spending just 17 mindful minutes outside each day can help reverse the damage we suffer from living indoors. He offers seven types of outdoor prescription, starting with morning light. Greeting the Sun as the Day Begins Dr. La Puma encourages us all to start our day by stepping outside for at least a few minutes under the open sky. Before coffee, before screens, morning light gets us off to the right start and helps us sleep better at the end of the day. That light exposure, even on an overcast day, helps us with deeper sleep at night. Deep sleep is critical for maintaining the brain with the glymphatic system as well as for bolstering the immune response. Before checking your email or your social media, perhaps while the coffee is brewing, make it a point to step outside for a few minutes. If that is too difficult, standing in the doorway or just looking outside through a window screen (not glass) may be enough. Bright morning light exposure is helpful in treating major depressive disorder (JAMA Psychiatry, Jan. 2016). Although the study utilized standardized indoor lights, natural light outside is brighter, even on a cloudy day. New research shows that bright light during the day reduces the risk of dementia among older people (General Psychiatry, June 24, 2026). The benefit was especially clear for those who spent more time in brighter light (at least 5,000 lux) such as one would get on an overcast day. It was even able to mitigate some of the risk associated with APOE4 genes. What Is Forest Bathing? Another practice in Dr. La Puma’s outdoor prescription pad is forest bathing. This idea comes from Japan. Spending time outdoors in a forest environment is extremely healing. It can help modulate the immune system, lower blood pressure and counteract stress. Forest bathing does not require a huge investment of time, either. One Japanese study found that spending just two hours a month in a forested environment can lead to lower blood pressure and reduce techno-stress. A review has found forest bathing beneficial against stress and burnout (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, July 28, 2017). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28788101/ No Forest? No Problem Many people do not have an actual forest handy. Dr. La Puma describes his outdoor prescription for Sarah, who felt stuck inside her city apartment all the time while she cared for her elderly mother. What he prescribed for her was mindful ti