Why light matters for mitochondria and melatonin

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We obsess over food and supplements. Meanwhile, the light we live under every day is quietly wrecking our biology.

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Maruca, founder and CEO of Ra Optics, to discuss how artificial light, blue light, and disrupted circadian rhythm quietly impact energy, sleep, and long-term health. Matt shares how a years-long personal health journey led him to study circadian biology and the essential role light plays in human physiology.

We explore why modern indoor environments are so biologically mismatched, how LED lighting and screens affect mitochondrial health, and why sunlight is powerful but not something to mindlessly overdo. Matt also explains how light influences hormones, mental health, and recovery, and why most wellness conversations miss this entirely.

Beyond the science, we touch on Matt’s broader work teaching how to think differently about light exposure, health, and performance.

If you’re interested in biohacking, sleep optimization, blue light, or understanding why your nervous system feels constantly overstimulated, this episode will shift how you see your environment.

You’ll Learn:



[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:08:02] Matt’s childhood health struggles, and the discovery that changed everything

[00:12:23] Diet alone can't fix your health, so what is at the root of chronic disease?

[00:16:34] The fourth phase of water inside your cells and why 40% of sunlight is designed specifically to structure it

[00:18:33]  The devolution of artificial light — from fire-like incandescents to blue-heavy, infrared-stripped “junk light” LEDs

[00:39:16] Blue light, your circadian rhythm and mental illness

[00:45:22] Why "more sun is better" is wrong

[00:57:15] How a chance encounter at an event turned a garage tinting operation into Ra Optics

[01:13:19] Why traditional sunglasses blunt the health benefits of sunlight, and the lens innovation designed to fix that

[01:20:58] What makes Ra Optics different from other blue light blocking glasses on the market

[01:30:02] Why doing all the right things still left Matt miserable, and the event that created a huge shift

[02:09:27] The hidden problems with "circadian bulbs" on the current market

[02:20:12] How to protect your light environment and stay healthy while traveling

Resources Mentioned:

The Way Forward episode on the Hidden Dangers of EMFs, Artificial Light, & Wifi (How To Avoid Them) featuring Tristan Scott | YouTube

The Way Forward episode on Circadian Biology, Leptin, & Light featuring Sarah Kleiner | YouTube

The Life Stylist episode on Extreme Biohacking: Millennial Edition with Matt Maruca | Listen Now

A mitochondrial paradigm of metabolic and degenerative diseases, aging, and cancer: a dawn for evolutionary medicine by Wallace, D | Article

The Fourth Phase of Water by Gerald Pollack | Book or Audiobook

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz | Book or Audiobook

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries | Book or Audiobook

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss | Book or Audiobook

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda | Book or Audiobook

South: The ENDURANCE Expedition by Ernest Shackleton | Book or Audiobook

SaunaSpace | Website

Find more from Matt:

The Light Diet Podcast | Spotify or Apple

The Light Diet | Instagram

Ra Optics | Instagram

Find more from Alec:

Alec Zeck | Instagram

Alec Zeck | X

The Way Forward | Instagram

The Way Forward is Sponsored By:

New Biology Clinic: Redefine Health from the Ground Up

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