Missing something? This could be it.

This time last week, I was standing at a trail head in the woods of Glacier National Park, debating with two of my closest friends. We needed to be on the road to Spokane in about two hours, and so had planned to do only a short, flat loop trail before hitting the road. But here we were at the trail head to Avalanche Lake, debating whether to take on the 5-mile spur or to pass it by. We had no hats, no sunscreen, no water. One of us was wearing flat Converse tennis shoes. Prepared, we were not.

But the trail to the lake, or at least what we could see of it, refused to be ignored – a sloping, sun-dappled switchback that wound its way through moss and lodgepole pines and draped along the edge of a river before disappearing over a rise. The day was still early, and the air was cool. Turning around and climbing back into the car was impossible.

You know how this story ends. We caved, and charged up the trail to see where it led.

It was worth it. But what impressed us most about the hike, besides the rushing glacial creek and the deep woods, was the kids. Kids of all ages, headed up the trail with parents in tow. They clambered around the trail like little mountain goats, only coming to a hushed halt when a deer strayed across the path.

As we drove to Spokane that afternoon (having departed much later than we intended), we talked about those kids. Like them, our parents had introduced us to the woods and the mountains at a young age. The out-of-doors became a place of memories and challenge and great meaning for us. But as adult life has crept in, our time outside has become more sparing, leaving us with the gnawing feeling that something is missing.

That feeling of “missing something”, as it turns out, is much more than an emotional tug, as we soon learned via this podcast from Pennsylvania Legacies:

Author Richard Louv has spent decades researching and documenting humans’ need for “Vitamin N”. Based on an increasing body of scientific research, he says, there is strong evidence that humans have a deep physiological need for nature: sunlight, fresh air, green spaces. Deprivation of this “Vitamin N” can lead to adverse physical, cognitive, and psychological health impacts.

Some of the biggest effects of a Vitamin N deficit? Loneliness and a feeling of disconnection.

Research on Vitamin N shows that when people have access to the outdoors, their performance increases. In workplaces, productivity rises and sick time decreases. The same is true of schools – just having natural daylight in a school has been shown to increase test scores.

Some of the biggest effects of a Vitamin N deficit? Loneliness and a feeling of disconnection.

But in an urbanized, indoors society, we are losing our outdoor time. As a result, Louv believes, we are developing a whole host of new health issues that he holistically calls “nature-deficit disorder”. Furthermore, our lack of connection to the outdoors limits us from understanding and advocating for it: if we don’t get outside, Louv says, people will “increasingly carry nature in their briefcases, and not in their hearts. And that’s an unsustainable relationship.”

"An expanding body of scientific evidence suggests that nature-deficit disorder contributes to a diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, conditions of obesity, and higher rates of emotional and physical illnesses. Research also suggests that the nature-deficit weakens ecological literacy and stewardship of the natural world." - Children & Nature Network

Maybe you’re feeling that unsustainable, lonely gnawing too. Maybe it’s been just a bit too long since you were out in the world. Maybe you feel like it’s time to start repairing your nature-deficit disorder.

If any of that is true, here’s where to start:

1. Experience nature just for the “joy and wonder of it”. Said another way – just go outside. Take a hike, a bike ride, sit in the park or at the beach. Go rafting. Go rock climbing. Go fishing. Start developing a relationship with the outdoors by just experiencing how beautiful and varied it is.

• There are over 15,000 National Parks in the U.S. – find one near you.

• Do a quick Google for state parks – I guarantee there’s one in your immediate area.

• Try a new outdoor activity – sign up with an outdoors school for lessons!

2. Learn about the world. Louv notes that kids nowadays receive a more in-depth education about the science of the natural world – but that’s only been a recent development. Many of us have no idea how or why the world works as it does. So as you’re exploring outdoors, ask more questions of the world around you, and hunt down answers.

3. Build more green spaces. “For the first time in human history, more people live in cities than in rural environments,” Louv notes. “This means that we will increasingly lose our connection to the natural world, or it means we need a new kind of city.” Because of this, he says, “conservation is no longer enough. Now we need to create nature.” Explore ways to make your workplace, your school, and your home more nature-rich. This doesn’t have to be a big production – it can be as small as a few garden beds or potted plants on a patio.

4. Take others with you – especially your kids. Help remedy the Vitamin N deficit of your partner, kids, parents, and family by just encouraging them to get outside!