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

Rangan Chatterjee

Oct 15, 2025

Episode description

This episode is brought to you by:
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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
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Connect with Roger:
Website https://medcram.com
https://instagram.com/medcram/
https://twitter.com/rogerseheult
https://youtube.com/channel/UCG-iSMVtWbbwDDXgXXypARQ

#feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast
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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.

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Utilize morning light to enhance skin protection against UV

Infrared-rich morning sunlight helps produce melatonin in the skin, a powerful antioxidant that prepares and protects it from the more intense UV radiation at midday.

#skin

#sunlight

Plant trees to reduce systemic inflammation

The 'Green Heart Project' found that planting thousands of mature trees in a neighborhood led to a 13-20% reduction in residents' hs-CRP, a key marker for inflammation and cardiovascular risk.

#environment

#inflammation

Address LED light impact on retinal health

Modern LED lights lack the infrared spectrum, which deprives the highly concentrated mitochondria in our retinas of the energy source they need to function, essentially asking them to 'make bricks without straw'.

#LED

#retina

Utilize 15-20 minutes of infrared light for lasting mitochondrial benefits

You don't need large amounts of sun exposure to see benefits; just 15-20 minutes of infrared light can produce a positive mitochondrial effect that lasts for days.

#infrared

#mitochondria

Utilize light's macronutrients for optimal health

Similar to food, light can be broken down into three essential 'macronutrients': visible light for circadian rhythm, ultraviolet (UV) light for vitamin D, and infrared light for mitochondrial energy.

#infrared

#light-therapy

Address infrared deficiency to combat modern health issues

A lack of infrared light in our modern, indoor lives is being compared to the scurvy of the 21st century, highlighting it as a widespread deficiency with serious health consequences.

#deficiency

#infrared

Utilize red light panels in winter to enhance wellness

A study found that red light panels at office desks only improved wellness during the winter, suggesting they are most effective as a substitute when natural sunlight is scarce.

#red-light

#sunlight

Avoid eating during night shifts to combat metabolic issues

An elegant study showed that night shift workers can almost completely eliminate the associated metabolic problems by not eating during their night shift and instead eating during their daytime sleep window.

#metabolism

#nutrition

Increase sunlight exposure to boost metabolic health

An Oxford study found that a person's insulin sensitivity and triglyceride levels were directly correlated with the amount of sunlight they were exposed to in the previous seven days.

#metabolism

#sunlight

Utilize infrared light for deep body penetration benefits

Research from University College London has shown that long-wavelength infrared light from the sun can penetrate so deeply into the human body that it can be detected on the other side.