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Dr Rangan ChatterjeeDr Rangan Chatterjee

Fastest Way To Decreased Lifespan – & You’re Doing It Daily! (Prevent Disease With This One Habit)

This episode is brought to you by: BON CHARGE: Save 20% off with code LIVEMORE https://boncharge.com/livemore Download my FREE Sleep Guide HERE: https://bit.ly/3OzqCap When we think of sunlight, vitamin D is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But the truth is, the full spectrum of light that we get exposed to when we spend time outside plays a vital role in how we sleep, how we feel and even how our cells create energy. This week’s returning guest is Dr Roger Seheult, who believes that sunlight is one of the most accessible and underutilised tools we have for improving health – and the science he shares is compelling. I’m delighted to welcome back to my Feel Better, Live More podcast for our third conversation. Roger is a quadruple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. He is also an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, Riverside, and Assistant Clinical Professor at Loma Linda University. Alongside his clinical practice, he co-founded MedCram, a medical education platform with over one million YouTube subscribers, widely used by hospitals and medical schools worldwide. Roger is also a sought-after lecturer and has received multiple awards for his contributions to medicine and education. His passion lies in making complex medical science accessible, and he regularly lectures to schools, hospitals and media outlets. In this conversation, we discuss: ● Why deficiency in sunlight can show up as fatigue, poor sleep, inflammation or even raised cholesterol. ● The three “macronutrients” of light – visible, ultraviolet and infrared – and how each plays a different role in mood, immunity and cellular energy. ● How infrared light penetrates deep into the body, supporting mitochondrial function and how it may help protect against diseases such as diabetes and dementia. ● Why spending 15–20 minutes a day outside – even in the shade – can be enough to recharge our cells. ● The growing evidence that sunlight exposure lowers the risk of all-cause mortality, cancer and heart disease. ● Practical strategies for getting the benefits of sunlight safely, even if you live in colder climates or spend much of your day indoors. Roger also shares his “eight laws of health” – simple, timeless principles that include nutrition, rest, fresh air and sunlight – and explains how neglecting them leads to the chronic conditions he often sees in his work in intensive care. This is a fascinating conversation that will change how you think about sunlight. It isn’t just something that makes us feel good – it’s a fundamental part of how our bodies stay healthy. And the best part? It’s free and available to us all. #feelbetterlivemore ---- Connect with Roger: Website https://medcram.com https://instagram.com/medcram/ https://twitter.com/rogerseheult https://youtube.com/channel/UCG-iSMVtWbbwDDXgXXypARQ #feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast ------- Order MAKE CHANGE THAT LASTS. US & Canada version https://amzn.to/3RyO3SL, UK version https://amzn.to/3Kt5rUK ----- Follow Dr Chatterjee at: Website: https://drchatterjee.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Dr. Rangan Chatterjeehost
Oct 14, 20251h 57mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Sunlight as medicine: infrared, circadian timing, and longevity benefits

  1. The conversation frames sunlight as a major, underappreciated health intervention linked in studies to lower all-cause mortality and better cardiometabolic and immune outcomes, especially across seasonal patterns.
  2. They break sunlight into three “macronutrients” of light—visible (mood/circadian), ultraviolet (vitamin D), and infrared/near-infrared (mitochondrial support)—arguing the package matters more than any single component.
  3. Infrared light is presented as uniquely able to penetrate deeply (even measurable through the body) and to improve mitochondrial function, with research examples spanning vision and glucose control.
  4. Modern environments—LED lighting, low‑E windows, screen use at night, and spending ~92–93% of time indoors—are portrayed as creating widespread “light deficiency” and circadian disruption.
  5. Actionable guidance emphasizes morning outdoor light, brief daily exposures (often 15–20 minutes), minimizing nighttime light, and targeted tools (SAD boxes, red light panels) when outdoor exposure is limited—particularly in winter/high latitudes.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Treat sunlight like a foundational health input, not a lifestyle extra.

Seheult argues sunlight is the “lowest hanging fruit” with effects seen in epidemiology (seasonal mortality peaks after the shortest day) and in shorter-term biomarker studies, implying broad systemic influence beyond vitamin D.

Think in ‘light macronutrients’: visible, UV, and infrared each do different jobs.

Visible light supports mood and circadian entrainment; UVB enables vitamin D synthesis; infrared/near-infrared is emphasized for deep tissue penetration and mitochondrial support—so “sunlight = vitamin D” is viewed as incomplete.

Infrared/near-infrared may ‘recharge’ mitochondria and improve function in multiple organs.

They cite work (e.g., Glen Jeffrey) suggesting near‑infrared can measurably improve energy-dependent outcomes like color vision and is proposed to support broader mitochondrial-linked conditions (metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration).

You often don’t need long exposures—short, consistent doses may be enough.

Examples discussed include 15–20 minutes producing effects lasting days in some experiments, and even minutes of targeted exposure affecting vision outcomes, suggesting daily brief outdoor time can be impactful.

Indoor modernity can unintentionally block key wavelengths—especially infrared.

Low‑E windows are designed to reduce infrared heat gain, and LEDs deliver mostly visible light with little infrared, creating an unprecedented “visible-only” lighting environment compared with sun/fire/candles/incandescent bulbs.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Look, if I were to say, what is the single biggest intervention that someone can do right away that would show not only benefits in the short run, but also in the long run, and is the lowest hanging fruit, there's no question in my mind that sunlight is, is that intervention.

— Dr. Roger Seheult

Florence Nightingale... said, "Look, there's two things that I see that have the biggest impact on the health of my patients. Number one, fresh air, but a close second to that is, is light, sunlight, not just daylight, but direct sunlight."

— Dr. Roger Seheult

Going outside into the sun on a sunny day is not just for the skin. It's not just for the eyes. It's for the entire body... he has actually been able to detect it on the other side of a human being. In other words, it goes right through.

— Dr. Roger Seheult

In the last 50 years. We are now primarily indoor creatures who live in climate-controlled environments... and unfortunately, because of energy efficiencies, we have eliminated that portion of the solar spectrum that we considered wasteful because we, it, it provided no visible light, and, uh, wasteful because it heated up our environment.

— Dr. Roger Seheult

He said, "You know, Roger, lack of infrared light is the scurvy of the 21st century."

— Dr. Roger Seheult

Signs of low sunlight exposure (fatigue, pain, sleep issues, lipid markers)Three “macronutrients” of light: visible, UV, infraredInfrared penetration and mitochondrial mechanismsRed/near‑infrared studies: vision and glucose metabolismIndoor living: windows, low‑E glass, LED spectrum gapsLight timing: benefits by day, harms at night (circadian)Nature/trees: infrared reflectance, inflammation (CRP) and green-space effects

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