Why fresh air is good for your kids

Posted by Gav Grayston.
First Published Jan 2015; updated May 2023.

In the winter months most of our families spend too long indoors. Stale air can be bad for us. Fresh air is good for us. Read this article to find out why.

In the winter months many of us retreat into our houses and stay there until the weather is warmer. OK, we might not be completely like hermits that never go out, but even many shops are 'indoor experiences' these days.

we spend around 90% of our time stuck indoors

According to the World Health Organisation, we spend around 90% of our time stuck indoors. That's a really sad fact.

With fuel prices so high and everyone trying to be 'energy efficient', it's no wonder that the windows on our homes stay closed until spring.

The problem is that the air in our homes gets stale, which is not very good for our families.

The problem with stale air

In a home with poor air circulation, you might think the most obvious problem is that we are all breathing in and recycling each other's breath. This could be a major factor in why the common cold spreads so much in winter (but as all of us with kids at school know, they bring more bugs home than homework sometimes!).

But it's not the recycling of other people's air that's the main problem.

Without proper air circulation in your home, chemicals can build up, and the air quality can become very poor.

Chemicals are released from all sorts of items, from cleaning sprays to even the fire retardant coating on furnishings.

Stuffy air may cause the following:

colds
headaches
drowsiness
irritation
sinus discomfort
upper respiratory congestion
eye irritation

A study showed that an increase in CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), which we all exhale, can lead to poorer concentration.

Modern building standards insist on adequate air circulation, even in the most environmentally friendly 'sealed' homes. However, not all of us live in homes that meet the latest building standards.

'...mould growth, and pollutants originating within a building which would otherwise become a hazard to the health of the people in the building.' Source: HM Government building regulations regarding ventilation

Devices like computers and TVs give off positive ions, which are believed to contribute to irritability and bad moods, and bad moods can then go on to contribute to increased blood pressure and weight gain.

Is anyone in your family showing symptoms of being stuck indoors too much?

If anyone in your family shows any of these symptoms, being stuck inside could be a contributing factor. Fortunately, there's a simple cure...

The benefits of fresh air

There are lots of benefits to getting outside, but let's just look at fresh air for the moment.

Here are some of the reported benefits of getting fresh air.

Fresh air can make you feel more energised
It can help you sleep better
It can help decongest you if you have a cold
It can relieve the symptoms of being shut inside with stuffy air
Negative ions can help restore your mood

getting outside in nature can make people feel more alive

The Journal of Environmental Psychology published a study that getting outside in nature can make people feel more alive, and as we all know, taking a baby for a walk outside will often send them to sleep.

sleep better at night after spending time outside

A study by Dr Yvonne Harrison showed that babies sleep better at night after spending time outside. What works for babies probably works for all of us.

lavender has a relaxing effect on us

Smells in the air outside can also play an important part in our health. It's well known that the scent of lavender relaxes us, but did you know trees do too? A study in Japan showed that walking through a pine forest can help reduce stress.

walking through a pine forest can help reduce stress

The scent of pine can also help decongest your sinuses if you have a cold.

Walking Through a Pine Forest can Reduce Stress

Another factor that may not be so apparent is negative ions.

The air is fresher and restorative after a rain shower, near a waterfall, on the beach, or even up a mountain

The air always feels fresher and restorative after a rain shower, near a waterfall, on the beach, or even up a mountain. That's partly due to the negative ions that are given off.

more alert and less drowsy

Studies have shown that negative ions can positively affect our mood and even help people with depression. It is believed that they cause a biochemical reaction in our bodies that increases the production of the mood chemical serotonin.

They also increase oxygen flow to the brain, making you more alert and less drowsy.

Go on, get outside

If you don't even consider the benefits of exercise and daylight, the benefits of fresh air are compelling and another great reason to get your family outside.

Don't forget to open your windows on your home now and then, and let some of that beneficial fresh and the bad stale air out.

References and More Information

If you want more information, here are some references and resources.