In this day and age, many people rather keep their electronic devices at an accessible reach. With a world dominated by technology, people take considerable care for their personal devices. A tendency of leaving phones in rooms during the night has arisen from this fact. While people sleep, it is noticeable that they tend to place their phones on their nightstands, desks and even on the bed itself. However, studies do not recommend this act.

Four students commented on if they sleep with their phones in their room and how they feel about this topic:

“For me the answer is no because I know that if I slept with my phone I would be on it all night.”

“Yes. It just feels empty not to have it near me. It is tempting to use the phone, but once it is my bedtime, I will just put it down next to me and go to sleep.”

“I do sleep with my phone in my room. I don’t have a problem with my phone at night however because I use features such as do not disturb and bedtime timer to remind me of when I need to go to bed every night.”

“Yes and no, I turn it face down so the light doesn’t shine and I know how to set my own boundaries.”

The reasons

Studies do not recommend sleeping with a phone nearby due to numerous reasons.

-Firstly, it makes it harder for the person to fall asleep. The proximity of the phone causes immense temptations for the owner to reach out for it during the night. Unless your screen is on night mode, it will emit a blue light that disrupts a person’s circadian rhythms. Meaning, sleep will be hard to achieve since the blue light’s wavelengths trick the brain into thinking it is morning.

-Although phones have not been directly linked to causing health risks, there are certain studies that indicate that the usage of devices might be possibly carcinogenic to humans. Phones give off tiny doses of electromagnetic radiation that may lead to tumor growth. Due to this reason, sleeping with a phone nearby your head is a big no.

-Phones are quite dodgy and rarely but possibly cause fires. Although it isn’t a common occurrence, it is something to consider as no one wishes their pillow to catch on fire while they sleep. In 2014, a teenager from Texas woke up to her phone emitting a smoky smell from under her pillow. This opens up the possibility of explosions and fire risks if you sleep with your phone nearby your pillow.

-Phones also interfere with REM sleep, which is an essential stage of rest. REM sleep enhances problem-solving skills and creative memory. Therefore if it is interrupted by the phone, people will have a hard time focusing the next day.

Conclusion

Though devices don’t have overwhelmingly negative effects during sleep, it is recommendable that we keep them away while we rest. Since technology is constantly evolving, so are the pondered health risks and the research on it. If you sleep near your phone, consider placing it in a different room or searching for alternate ways to keep it far away from you.