Am I Spending Too Much Time Indoors? Signs It’s Draining Your Energy | EP 398

Apr 7, 2026

Dr. John La Puma, board-certified internist, chef, and bestselling author focused on indoor environmental health. He explores how modern indoor living and poor indoor air may sap energy, cognition, and sleep. Short practical fixes include morning light, brief daily outdoor time, better ventilation and targeted air filters, plus nature-rich habits like gardening to reset your biology.

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INSIGHT

Indoor Life Is An Evolutionary Mismatch

Modern indoor life is a rapid evolutionary mismatch that disrupts sleep, immunity, metabolism, vision, and cognition.
John La Puma links our shift to being 93% indoors with rising insomnia, attention fatigue, myopia, and chronic disease risk.

ADVICE

Morning Light First Then Coffee

Get morning daylight within an hour of waking before coffee to trigger a cortisol boost that sets circadian rhythm.
Ten minutes outside (or a 10,000 lux lamp if dark) improves melatonin timing and deep sleep 14 hours later.

ADVICE

Use 17 Minutes Outside As Medicine

Repurpose incidental outdoor minutes into intentional green or blue time and aim for at least 17 minutes daily.
Being near trees or water shifts brain waves, improves telomeres, immunity, focus, and longevity.

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What if the reason you feel tired, foggy, or just “off”… has nothing to do with your age, stress, or even your diet?

What if it’s your environment?

The reality is, most of us now spend nearly 93% of our lives indoors—and according to today’s guest, that shift may be quietly disrupting everything from your sleep and metabolism… to your brain function and immune system.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. John La Puma, author of Indoor Epidemic, to uncover how modern indoor living is impacting your health in ways most people never consider.

You’ll learn all about major hidden threats, how poor indoor air can affect your focus and decision-making, and why the air inside your home may be more harmful than what’s outside.

Most importantly, we share simple, science-backed solutions you can start today ” to help reset your body.

Because sometimes, it’s not just what you eat…it’s where you live.

On this episode, you’ll learn:

What “digital obesity” is, and how it could be affecting your health (5:00)
The simplest (and completely FREE) morning “prescription” (6:35)
What daylight saving time is really doing to your body (9:15)
Why the air inside your home could be far more damaging to your health than the pollution outside your front door (13:30)
One surprisingly powerful hobby that can sharpen your focus, strengthen your immune system, and even help you live longer (18:35)
The hidden indoor factor most people never test for… that could actually be lowering your IQ (21:30)
What to actually look for in an air purifier (23:45)
The exact amount of sleep your body truly needs each night—and what happens inside your body when you fall short (28:55)
The most unexpected “prescription” I regularly give my patients (33:10)
Why your cleaning products may actually be harming you (and what to look out for on labels) (36:52)

For the full show notes and transcript: drgundry.com/indoor-air-pollution-health-effects

Thank you to our sponsors! Check them out:

Shop my new air filter, Homekind Total Air! Use code CLEANAIR for 10% off.
Go to ButcherBox.com/gundry to get chicken breast, top sirloin, or ground beef for life, plus $20 off.
For all your blue-light and EMF-blocking accessories, go to boncharge.com/GUNDRY and use the coupon code GUNDRY to save 15% off your entire order.

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