How Sunlight Deficiency Destroys Your Health - With Dr. Alexis Cowan

Nov 12, 2025

Dr. Alexis Cowan, a Princeton-trained PhD in metabolism and circadian biology, sheds light on the crucial role of sunlight for health. She explains how various light spectrums affect our biology, including the impact of blue light on hormones. Discover the fascinating link between sunlight exposure, melatonin, and appetite, and how melanin contributes to energy production. Dr. Cowan also discusses the dangers of non-native EMFs and practical tips for reducing exposure to optimize health and performance.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Light Is The Master Circadian Zeitgeber

Circadian biology is governed mainly by light-dark cycles and multiple timing inputs in the body.
Modern blue-light rich indoor lighting and screens disrupt hormones, sleep, metabolism, and cognition.

ADVICE

Prioritize Bright Natural Light Daily

Get bright full-spectrum light outdoors because indoor lighting provides roughly tenfold less lux.
Aim for morning and midday natural light exposures to boost serotonin and circadian alignment.

INSIGHT

Eyes And Skin Send Coherent Time Signals

The body uses different photoreceptors (melanopsin, neuropsin) to read blue and UVA light for central and local clocks.
Coherent signals to eyes and skin synchronize master and peripheral clocks for optimal physiology.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

We all know that essential inputs like diet and movement can make a huge difference in how you feel on a day-to-day basis. But have you ever thought about how light can impact your health? Today, you’re going to learn the fascinating science of different light spectrums—including the ones present in sunlight and artificial light—and how they can improve or degrade your health.

On this episode of The Model Health Show, you’re going to learn about light and circadian biology from Princeton-trained PhD, Dr. Alexis Cowan. Dr. Cowan is passionate about helping folks harness the powerful science of light, biophysics, and mitochondrial biology to optimize their health and performance.

You’re going to learn about why sunlight is essential for human health, what non-native EMFs are and how they impact your biology, and the relationship between light and mitochondria. This episode is packed with mind-blowing science that you can use to uplevel your health immediately. I hope you enjoy this interview with Dr. Alexis Cowan!

In this episode you’ll discover:

What circadian biology is. (5:04)
The primary timekeepers for circadian biology. (5:40)
How blue light from your devices affects your health. (6:52)
The relationship between sunlight, melatonin, and cortisol. (7:17)
What to consider about how your windows filter sunlight. (9:12)
Why total brightness matter for human biology. (12:06)
The fascinating connection between light and hunger. (18:57)
What melanin does in your body. (27:18)
How red light therapy impacts mitochondria. (34:50)
The surprising science of how darkness regulates your biology. (40:48)
A conversation on radiofrequencies. (42:13)
Realistic ways to reduce your exposure to EMFs. (47:18)
The shocking truth about EMFs in electric cars. (50:48)
Why grounding is a powerful way to improve your health. (1:03:13)
How to maximize the benefits of exercising outdoors. (1:20:23)

Items mentioned in this episode include:

WildPastures.com/model - Get 20% off every box plus an additional $15 off!
Piquelife.com/model - Get exclusive savings on bundles & subscriptions!
QuantumU - Save $100 on Dr. Cowan’s course using code SHAWN!
Quantum Health by Dr. Alexis Cowan - Get your copy of the eBook!
The Mitochondriac’s Travel Companion - Get your copy of the travel eBook!
The Incubator - Subscribe to Dr. Cowan’s book club!
Connect with Dr. Alexis Cowan Email / Podcast / Instagram / X

This episode of The Model Health Show is brought to you by Wild Pastures and Pique.

Get 100% grassfed and finished beef, pasture raised chicken, and other nutrient dense, regenerative meats. Sign up with my link to get 20% of for life, plus an additional $15 off your first box at wildpastures.com/model.

Go to Piquelife.com/model for exclusive savings on bundles & subscriptions on cutting-edge solutions for your head-to-toe health and beauty transformation.