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Why you should commit to spending 30 minutes outside a day with your dog

Why you should commit to spending 30 minutes outside a day with your dog.

After a long walk through the woods joyfully snuffling for critters and splashing in puddles, my Golden Retriever is happy and content. Dogs thrive when they spend time outside and they’re wise enough to know it. Bailey sometimes wakes me up at 5 a.m. for the simple pleasure of sitting in the backyard and smelling the morning breeze. We have a lot to learn from our dogs.

Humans spend most of their time indoors. In fact, North American adults now spend about 9.3 hours a day sitting, most of it leashed to our electronic devices. Medical journal The Lancet estimates this unprecedented level of inactivity is causing 5.3 million premature deaths a year worldwide, similar to smoking, prompting the Harvard Business Review to suggest that “sitting is the smoking of our generation.”

The good news is that researchers have built an increasingly persuasive case for what most of us know intuitively: nature is good for us. Being regularly immersed in a natural setting can reduce stress while boosting immunity, ingenuity, and energy.

People with dogs already have a leg up. Dogs, like us, are part of nature after all! Pets provide significant physical and psychological benefits to their human companions. In the book Your Brain on Nature, authors Eva Selhub and Alan Logan explain how interacting with pets reduces stress, improves cognitive performance, and increases empathy. Plus, having a dog means you are likely outside more often—another key to human well-being.

As neuroscientist Marc Berman explains, adding a daily dose of green to your routine may be the best prescription for dealing with daily stress. His research shows that even simple, brief interactions with nature can improve mood and cognitive control.

Researchers at the University of Michigan estimate that memory performance and attention span can improve by 20 percent after an hour in nature, and University of Rochester studies conclude that being outside for 20 minutes a day is enough to boost vitality. A new study from Scotland demonstrates brain fatigue can be eased with just a 10-minute walk in the park. ▸

Humans spend most of their time indoors. In fact, North American adults now spend about 9.3 hours a daysitting, most of it leashed to our electronic devices.

Increased exposure to nature also leads people to nurture closer relationships and build stronger community bonds. When Capilano University professor Joe Kelly spent at least an hour a day outside for one month, he observed that “free of the distractions and background noise present in the city, the serenity of nature provides a perfect venue to connect with others.” But how can we fit more green time into our hectic schedules? The David Suzuki Foundation has a solution. The 30×30 Nature Challenge asks to commit to spending at least 30 minutes a day in nature for 30 days every spring. Although the official Challenge is hosted in May, the “nature habit” is meant to be lifelong. (Toolkits for schools and workplaces, along with daily tips, are available year-round at 30x30.davidsuzuki.org.)

Finding your nature fix can be easy. Hold your next work meeting outdoors—maybe make it a walking meeting. Explore city parks with your dog. Take the scenic route home and go for a walk in a neighbourhood green space along the way. Do as dogs do: stop to smell the flowers and take notice of critters, trees, and plants.

We all know that time in nature makes our animals calmer and happier. It does the same for humans. Untie your electronic “leash” and pick up your dog’s. Let's all get into the nature habit. It can make our lives better.

A new study from Scotland demonstrates brain fatigue can be eased with just a 10-minute walk in the park.