Apr 1, 2026
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We talk a lot about simplifying our homesâŚ
But what if one of the biggest missing pieces isnât inside your home at all?
What if itâs how much time youâre spending inside it?
In this episode, Katy sits down with Dr. John LaPuma to unpack a surprising root cause behind burnout, poor sleep, low energy, and even chronic health issuesâsomething he calls âthe indoor epidemic.â
Because hereâs the reality:
đ Most of us spend 93% of our time indoors
And our bodies were never designed for that.
This conversation will shift how you think about your environment, your energy, and what actually moves the needle when it comes to feeling better.
We often blame stress, hormones, or our schedulesâŚ
But Dr. John explains that being inside too much can contribute to:
đ Itâs not just a lifestyle preferenceâitâs a biological mismatch
Your body is missing the inputs it was designed to receive from the outside world.
If you do nothing else from this episodeâstart here.
Getting 10 minutes of morning light within the first hour of waking helps:
And hereâs the key:
đ It must be outside (not through a window)
This simple habit can replace or reduce the need for things we often try to âfixâ with supplements.
This is where this conversation gets really practical.
You donât need hours outside every day.
đ The minimum effective dose is just 17 minutes a day
And you can build that into your life by:
Itâs not about adding
more.
Itâs about repurposing
what youâre already doing.
This isnât just about adult burnoutâitâs impacting our kids too.
Dr. John explains that 2 hours of outdoor play daily can help:
đ Screens pull their vision
inward
đ Nature pushes it outward
And that difference matters more than we think.
One of the most powerful shifts in this episode:
đ Being outside without responsibility
Not walking the dog
quickly.
Not rushing to the next thing.
But actually:
Because when youâre always in âdoing modeââŚ
đ You miss the reset your brain actually needs
This might be the most important reframe of the entire episode:
đ Burnout isnât always a personal failure
It can be an environmental mismatch.
So if youâve been doing all
the âright thingsââŚ
Eating well, decluttering, managing your homeâŚ
And still feel exhausted?
This could be the missing piece.
đ The Indoor Epidemic by Dr. John LaPuma: Grab it here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/indoor-epidemic-john-la-puma-md/1149094439
If this episode hit home and youâre ready to actually follow through on these shifts, this is where we go deeper.
Inside Clutter Cure Club, youâll get:
⨠This monthâs resource: Kids
+ Toy Clutter Guide
(includes scripts for when kids resist, age-based guidance, and
simple systems)
đ Join here: https://www.katyjoywells.com/cluttercureclub-page837548
Only $19/month â cancel anytime
đď¸ Join the Ready, Set,
Simplify Newsletter
Over 35,000 women read it weekly for clutter-busting tips, tiny
mindset shifts, and practical steps to simplify your home and your
life.
đ https://www.katyjoywells.com/simplify
đ˛ Come Say Hi on
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Behind-the-scenes, real-life simplicity, and lots of
laughs.
đ @katyjoywells
If this episode helped you, Iâd be so grateful if youâd take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
Your support helps this show reach more women who need a simpler way forward. đ