In this latest video from MedCram, Dr. Seheult discusses and demonstrates something fascinating: how you can see infrared light with your own eyes using a simple filter on your smartphone camera. This filter transforms invisible infrared wavelengths into visible red light, allowing us to visualize infrared emissions in our environment.

What Is This Infrared Filter?

This is a special film that you can stick over the lens of your smartphone camera. It costs around $30 (there are discounted links available). The film contains rare earth metals that excite electrons when infrared light hits them, causing a phenomenon called anti-Stokes scattering. This process effectively converts near-infrared light—which normally has too long a wavelength to see—into visible red light.

How It Works in Simple Terms

• Infrared light excites electrons in the film. 
• These electrons release energy at a shorter wavelength (visible red light) as they return to their normal state. 
• The camera then captures this visible red light where infrared light is abundant. 

No batteries or special equipment needed—just stick the film over your camera lens.

What You Can See With This Filter

When you look through this filter:

• Anything that glows red is emitting infrared light. 
• Green spaces, especially leaves, reflect a lot of infrared light, which explains some of the health benefits linked to spending time around trees and plants. 
• You can compare different glass types in your home: old glass lets infrared light through, while modern Low-E (low emissivity) glass blocks it to improve energy efficiency. 
• You can even see how much infrared light penetrates clothing. For example, polyester scrubs block some infrared, but one layer of common fabrics usually does not block much. 

Infrared Light Inside vs. Outside

Using the filter, we can compare lighting indoors and outdoors:

• Incandescent bulbs emit infrared light, which the filter reveals as red glow. 
• LED bulbs emit almost no infrared light, so they don’t show red when viewed through the filter. 
• Studies suggest that exposure to incandescent infrared light indoors can improve mitochondrial function and color vision, with effects lasting weeks after exposure. 

Infrared Light on Cloudy Days and Green Spaces

Even on cloudy days, there’s still plenty of infrared light. Under trees and green spaces, infrared exposure is high, which might explain why living near greenery reduces risks of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and total mortality.

For example, a study in Louisville, KY, showed that planting thousands of mature trees led to:

• 13-20% reduction in inflammation markers (HSCRPs) 
• 10-15% drop in stroke rates over 2-3 years 

These benefits are likely linked to infrared exposure alongside other factors like oxygen and immune-boosting compounds from trees.

Why Infrared Light Matters

Infrared light penetrates your skin and reaches mitochondria—the energy centers of your cells—helping to:

• Reduce oxidative stress 
• Increase ATP production (energy) 
• Improve carbon dioxide output 
• Lower blood glucose levels 

Spending time outside in natural sunlight is the best way to get infrared light.

How to Try It Yourself

If you’re curious, I highly recommend getting one of these infrared films for your smartphone camera:

• It’s affordable (around $22-$30) 
• Easy to apply and use 
• Lets you see and share the invisible infrared world around you 

Test your home, windows, and outdoor spaces to see where infrared light is coming from. You’ll likely discover that outside is where the most beneficial infrared light is found.

Final Thoughts

As modern lighting shifts increasingly towards LED bulbs that emit no infrared light, it’s important to remember the benefits of natural and incandescent infrared exposure. Whether it’s from sunlight or carefully chosen indoor lighting, infrared light plays a critical role in our health.

 

LINKS / REFERENCES:

2cm x 5cm IR-SENSE Film – INCLUDES 25% DISCOUNT FOR MEDCRAM VIEWERS (PhosphorTech Corporation) | https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/2T…

Near Infrared Transmission through Various Clothing Fabrics (Journal of Textile Science & Engineering) | https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open…

The health benefits of the great outdoors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes (Environmental Research) | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science…

The Science of Near-Infrared Lighting: Fact or Fiction (IES) | https://www.ies.org/fires/the-science…

LED lighting undermines visual performance (ResearchGate) | https://www.researchgate.net/publicat…