Dr. G’s #1 Tip for Living Longer
The sun is the closest thing we have to a cure-all.
See, one of the single best ways to improve mood, stress, sleep, immunity, blood pressure, skin health, and more… is to spend more time outside.
Sunlight can even help you live longer.
But most people aren’t taking advantage of this free longevity hack.
Recently researchers took a closer look at how much time people spent outdoors during the winter, and even I was shocked by the numbers.
In a recent study, nearly 90,000 volunteers wore wrist devices that contained light sensors.
Participants who spent the most time in the sun had up to a 34 percent reduced risk of dying an early death compared to those who spent the least.
That’s great news for me because I spend hours outdoors daily. And I encourage my patients to do the same.
But it’s not-so-great news for the majority of Americans.
At the beginning of 2025 Researchers at Sleep Junkie surveyed all 50 states to determine, not only how much time people spent outdoors, but also which states face the most significant health risks from avoiding the sun.
The states that spent the least time outdoors included Nebraska, North Dakota, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, and Missouri—all less than two hours per week.
Considering the weather in those states it’s not a total surprise to see them at the bottom of the list. In fact, North Dakota and Nebraska have a reputation for having ruthless winters.
Those states with the highest sun exposure—over three hours weekly—included Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wyoming.
The rest of the country was somewhere in the middle.
With numbers like these, it’s no wonder the country is so sick.
We should spend one to three hours outdoors DAILY… not weekly.
But get this… 85 percent of the people surveyed said that they would spend more time outdoors if they knew it would reduce their risk of an early death.
Well, now you know it does!
Which brings me to my number one tip for living longer.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have hibernated all winter, it’s time to get back outside.
Committing to at least an hour a day of sun exposure will make you feel better and live longer.
P.S. Feeling blue? This bright idea stops depression in its tracks.
View Sources
Windred, D. P., Burns, A. C., Lane, J. M., Olivier, P., Rutter, M. K., Saxena, R., Phillips, A. J., & Cain, S. W. (2024). Brighter nights and darker days predict higher mortality risk: A prospective analysis of personal light exposure in >88,000 individuals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(43), e2405924121.
