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7 Signs Indoor Living Is Hurting You and How to Fight It

Written by

Katarina Mirkovic Arsic

We are not designed for indoor living. In spite of that, we now have a so-called ‘indoor generation’ that spends 90% of their time indoors, according to the EPA. 

The main reasons why living indoors is harmful to your health are blue light toxicity, non-native electromagnetic fields, poor air quality, lack of natural light, and limited physical activity.

Nothing can replace spending time outside in nature. However, there are many reasons why some people cannot go outside. 

It is possible to minimize some of the negative effects of being indoors all the time by airing out your home regularly, using your portable red light device, and doing indoor exercises.

Sometimes, the effects of indoor living are obvious. It’s easy to relate a wall full of mold with a heavy cough. Other effects can be more subtle, but they aren’t less dangerous. Here are some of the signs that you might be suffering from spending too much time indoors.

#1 Your Allergies Are Flaring Up

A lot of allergies get worse when you are indoors. If the air quality in your home isn’t perfect (and it rarely is), you are surrounded by dust, mites, pet dander, mold, cockroaches, and many other allergens. 

Some of those allergens remain in the air, but a lot of them are on the surfaces in your home, like floors, carpets, beds and bedding, furniture, and others. Air purifiers and regular cleaning can somewhat help, but the only way to get rid of allergies is to remove the allergens.

#2 You Suffer from Lack of Energy, Dizziness, and Fatigue

These are the usual symptoms of both vitamin D deficiency and lack of oxygen in your blood. Vitamin D deficiency happens due to a lack of sun exposure. This vitamin is not that frequent in our food and you need the sun to make the bioactive form. Consequently, if you don’t spend enough time outdoors, you are at risk to get this vitamin deficiency.

#3 You Have Mood Swings and/or Symptoms of Depression

Usually, people experience Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD) during winter. Scientists presume that it is related to lack of sunlight. However, if indoor living is a part of your lifestyle, you may experience SAD at any time of the year. Psychiatry.org lists the following symptoms for SAD:

Common symptoms of SAD include fatigue, even with too much sleep, and weight gain associated with overeating and carbohydrate cravings. SAD symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include many symptoms similar to major depression, such as:

– The feeling of sadness or depressed mood
– Marked loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
– Changes in appetite; usually eating more, craving carbohydrates
– Change in sleep; usually sleeping too much
– Loss of energy or increased fatigue despite increased sleep hours
– Increase in restless activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech
– Feeling worthless or guilty
– Trouble concentrating or making decisions
– Thoughts of death or suicide or attempts at suicide

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

#4 Your Asthma Is Getting Worse

If you have trouble breathing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and similar symptoms, you may be suffering from asthma. Indoor asthma triggers are similar to those of allergies.

Asthmatic episodes are usually in direct relation with air quality. There’s nothing better than you can do to prevent frequent asthmatic flare ups than to spend more time outside.

#5 You Have Trouble Sleeping

Your body has its own circadian rhythm. It is based on the natural cycles of day and night. Your hormones wake you up in the morning and make sure that you are getting ready for your rest during the night. Living indoors and being exposed to artificial light hurts this cycle. As a result, you have trouble falling asleep.

Blue light is not all that bad. After all, it is also a part of the sunlight spectrum. It is what keeps you alert during the day. The problem arises when you are exposed to too much artificial blue light. That’s blue light toxicity. 

LEDs, screens, and other sources of blue light don’t contain the red and near-infrared light that is present in sunlight. You only get excessive amounts of blue light that your body cannot handle well. 

Blue light toxicity disrupts your circadian rhythm and consequently, it can hurt your vision, cause weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. 

#6 Your Blood Pressure Is Going Up

If you spend most of your day inside, it means that you are exposed to pollution from the indoor air. There are studies that show that indoor air pollution levels can be up to 5x higher than the pollution outside. 

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health published a study that shows this type of pollution directly causes high blood pressure.

#8 You Suffer from Frequent Indigestion Issues

Indoor living influences your gut microbiome in a negative way. Your gut bacteria are extremely important for your overall health. There is an increased interest in medical science about the connection between the gut and the brain and the rest of the body.

The first and the most obvious sign that your gut bacteria is off will be signs of indigestion. If you want to learn more about the fascinating power of gut bacteria, here is a very informative conversation on the subject:

What Can You Do?

The most obvious way to fix these issues is to spend more time outside and in nature. Do your best to see sunrise and sunset – when you benefit from the healing red wavelengths from the sun. 

However, we all know this is easier said than done. 

Sometimes, people don’t have the time or the means to be outdoors as much as they would like. Some people are too busy, some are working odd shifts and some are bedridden and movement for them is challenging.

There are no alternatives to time spent in nature, but there are things that drastically reduce the negative effects of indoor living. 

Red Light Exposure

The closest thing you have to experiencing the healing morning sunlight is a red light session. The sunlight at dawn and dusk is rich in light that belongs to the spectrum of red and near-infrared wavelengths. This is precisely the kind of light that the FlexBeam produces.

Red and near-infrared light have many amazing benefits to your health. Many of those will help you eliminate the above-mentioned symptoms of indoor living:

These are just some of the benefits. Red and near-infrared light can also help you rejuvenate your skin, heal wounds, injured bones and muscles, and much more.

If there is no other way for you to enjoy sunlight at dawn and dusk, your next best option is to expose your body to red and near-infrared light spectrum with a device. FlexBeam is a very convenient way to achieve this.

Get Enough to Sunlight Throughout Your Day

You should get at least 20 minutes of daylight exposure during the day. Ideally, this should be a walk in nature, but if this is impossible, you can at least try to catch some light throughout the day. Many little things can add up to your daily dose of sunlight:

  • Walk to work as long as you can
  • Sit by the open window as you work
  • Make a list of activities you can do outside (reading, going to the store, making a phone call)

Don’t forget about UV light! The best way to protect yourself is to get morning sunlight – at sunrise. The red light sets off changes in skin chemistry that will protect the skin from potentially harmful UV.

Home Improvements

If you have to stay indoors all the time, you can make sure that your home makes a good living environment. Here is a list of things you can do improve you indoor air quality and get more sun:

  • Make a reading nook under your windows
  • Use HEPA filters on air purifiers
  • Don’t line dry your laundry inside your home
  • Get air-purifying plants
  • Keep your windows open as much as possible
  • Regularly check for mold
  • Install rooftop windows
  • Clean and air your carpets
  • Turn off your wifi router at night
  • Replace energy saving bulbs with incandescent bulbs
  • Wear blue blocking glasses after dark
  • Don’t look at screens late at night
  • Keep your phone on airplane mode when you are not using it

The symptoms of indoor living harmful effects can be mild and unnoticeable at first. They can grow in intensity over time. You can even attribute some of them to other causes. 

We have evolved under the sun and our bodies follow the natural rhythms of the sun. Our body recognizes the healing red rays within sunlight.

The FlexBeam uses precisely the same wavelengths of light which makes it the perfect on-tap source of red light whenever you want it.

Moreover, the FlexBeam allows you to target any part of your body with red light for maximum effects. It is easy to use and it is designed to be flexible and to follow the shape of your body.

Integrate red therapy into your life, make the time to be outside, and modify your home to let more light into your life – your body will thank you for it!

Discover the science behind the FlexBeam’s amazing wellness effects.