Health and wellness expert Luke Coutinho has urged people to spend at least 17 minutes outdoors every day, saying that regular exposure to natural light and nature is an important part of healthy living.

In an Instagram post, Coutinho states that people have become so focused on improving their health that they often overlook one of the simplest things the human body needs, which is spending time outdoors.

"Outdoor light is circadian medicine and it's free," he captions the post.

Coutinho points out that many people spend most of their day indoors. They wake up, eat, work and exercise indoors, travel by car and then return home. Two hours a week may sound difficult to fit into a busy schedule. Coutinho says this can be broken down into about 17 minutes a day.

He explains that daylight is more than just light. It provides information to the brain that helps the body understand when it is daytime. This can support the body's circadian rhythm, which controls the sleep-wake cycle.

He also highlights research suggesting that exposure to natural daylight can affect several biological processes, including glucose regulation, immune function, gene activity and the body's internal clocks.

According to Coutinho, spending time in nature may also have benefits for mental health, stress levels and physical well-being.

He also urges parents to encourage children to spend more time outdoors. He cites randomised trials involving more than 3,000 children, which found that increasing outdoor time was associated with a 24 per cent lower risk of developing myopia, or short-sightedness.

Coutinho says people do not need to live near a forest to spend time outdoors. "Walk outside, take your phone call outside, drink your tea on your balcony, walk after lunch, walk after dinner, find a tree, go to a park, go to the sea, watch the sunset, but be outdoors. And even if your balcony has a roof, you're still getting natural outdoor daylight on you if you're by the balcony," he adds.

"No tracker required, no perfect protocol, no expensive biohack, just open the door, step outside. Because sometimes living better isn't about adding something new. It's remembering what humans stopped doing," he mentions.

Coutinho also clarifies that people do not necessarily need direct sunlight on their skin for their circadian system to receive information from daylight. Even spending time on a balcony can provide exposure to natural outdoor light.

"Go outside. Your biology remembers. This is foundational medicine and lifestyle. Living better every day," he concludes.