With all of my fabulous anxiety disorders I’ve found this thought to be a particularly comforting one. We all live in a meatsuit driven by a survival focused brain. We evolved this way.

This time we’re talking about going outside. Like most organisms we need the sunlight to function in our bodies, with Vitamin D and neurotransmitters swooshing around in our meatsuits. Not only this, but there is something to be said for fresh air. It revitalizes us, fills us up and opens us to the world.

In the disfunction that is depression, our instincts want us to hide and stay in the dark. When we don’t feel safe, even from ourselves, it’s natural to want to find the nearest cave and huddle. So which instinct is right? Both. In depression, and outside of it, it’s important to get outside and experience safety. It’s a reminder that no matter what’s going on in our heads, we are safe to enjoy the outdoors.

That’s not to say we need to stay outside all of the time, but 10-30 minutes of sunshine is necessary for our bodies to function well. Feel free to huddle and hide before and after, it will be a reminder to your brain that sunshine means safe. If you have PTSD like I do, that remapping of neurons is essential to your survival.

If you can combine this with “work” and go for a walk as long as you can tolerate it, consider it a job well done! You can cross these off your meatsuit list and continue on with your day, whether that’s staying snuggled inside the house or something more active!