Ask Dr Miriam

Q AYou keep telling people to get outdoors. Besides the exercise, what is so good about being outside? Well, first it’s an important change of scene, which can be crucial to people who feel imprisoned in their home. But also, time spent outdoors is a simple way to increase your activity levels and your general wellbeing including mental health. It’s even been suggested that time spent outdoors positively influences your gut microbiome (GM) – so its importance can’t be overestimated.

Children exposed to new microbes through outdoor play have been shown to have a more diverse GM with increases in what we would call good bacteria.

Exercise has been shown to bring about positive changes in the GM which may support it through periods of disruption, like taking antibiotics.

Simply walking outside every day can improve the quality of your sleep and this in turn can improve your GM. In people who sleep well there’s a richer diversity and quantity of good bacteria in the gut. Poor quality sleep has been linked to a weaker GM.