Sleeping with your smartphone causes you to sleep worse and your sleep quality deteriorates.
This is not only due to the blue light that your screen produces when you check your phone in the evening and at night, which prevents you from producing the right sleep hormones.
It also has to do with the fear of missing information, also known as FOMO (fear of missing out).
SLEEPING WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE
Research has even shown that 5% of young people (18 - 34) regularly set an alarm clock at night to check their smartphone.
20% of the respondents suffered from severe stress and tension and this is partly due to the abuse of the smartphone.
Especially getting rid of the many checkmarks from messages that come in and keeping group apps up to date is responsible for this.
Still, almost everyone always puts their smartphone next to the bed on the bedside table, or even in bed, but why?
A common excuse is usually because your phone is also your alarm clock and you won't wake up on time without it.
Okay, but why don't many people put their cell phones in "Airplane mode" so that they are not disturbed during the night and can still use their alarm clock.
FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO)
This has mostly to do with the addictive effect of the smartphone, the aforementioned FOMO, and that it is now fully and 24/7 integrated into our daily life.
However, it is also wise for other reasons not to sleep with your smartphone and to place it at least one meter from your bed.
Opinions differ widely as to whether the radiation from mobile phones is harmful to your health.
Yet many sleep experts say that this radiation can also seriously affect your sleep and that you run health risks that you will not notice at first.
In addition, sleeping with your smartphone is said to cause nightmares, insomnia, and multiple night awakenings.
The reason for this is that this radiation can affect certain natural processes in your body, such as your biological clock and heart rhythm.
Even the World Health Organization (WHO) is now convinced that electronic devices (not just smartphones) are bad for your health.
Smartphones produce toxic effects because they work with ionizing radiation and wavelengths.
SMARTPHONE USE CAN AFFECT YOUR FERTILITY
An Australian study also found an association between smartphone use and infertility in both men and women.
When you use your smartphone as an alarm clock at night, it is wise to always put it in "airplane mode" or "do not disturb mode" and move it at least one meter away from you.
If you leave all connectivity on your phone, it will always try to connect to the nearest cell tower non-stop.
This means that your phone is constantly emitting electromagnetic radiation and not only when you are using it.
And so when you sleep with your smartphone in your bed you expose yourself to this radiation all night and it is clear that this is not beneficial to your health and your sleep quality.
WHERE CAN YOU LEAVE YOUR SMARTPHONE WHEN YOU SLEEP?
So where and how can you best place your smartphone while you sleep?
There are actually two good ways:
- Turn off your smartphone completely, or put it in "airplane mode" and place it in its usual place on your nightstand.
Just leave your phone on but put it in another room such as your living room or kitchen.
- If you don't feel comfortable with the idea that you are not available at night for emergencies, at least turn off the internet connection and WiFi completely.
These connections are much more dangerous than the normal radio waves that your phone uses for calling and sending and receiving old-fashioned SMS.
Sleep experts also recommend that you place your smartphone at least one meter away from you while sleeping, for example, placing it on the other side of your bedroom, stairs, or landing.
CHARGING SMARTPHONE NEAR BED
Another problem that many people are guilty of is charging your smartphone at night and putting it next to your pillow.
There are several cases where people have their face or hands burned by a heated phone under their pillows.
In addition, our pillows are made of materials that in many cases are very flammable, which can be particularly dangerous because we are not aware of our surroundings when we sleep.
STRESS AND FEAR BY SLEEPING WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE
Another big risk of sleeping with your smartphone in or next to your bed is that you will suffer from stress, anxiety, and panic attacks more quickly.
You are always alert and expecting what could happen and you don't want to miss this.
If we wake up in the middle of the night these days, we quickly reach for our smartphones to check our emails, news, or social media.
Over the past decade, these behavioral changes have caused many people to suffer from stress, insomnia, concentration problems, mental problems, irritations, nightmares, headaches and migraines, and reduced productivity.
USE YOUR SMARTPHONE IN A HEALTHIER WAY
There are a number of things you can do to use your smartphone more safely and use it in a healthier way, for example:
- Keep your calls short
- Make your calls via the hands-free function
- Do not carry your phone directly on your skin or in your pocket
- Always place your smartphone at least one meter away from you when you are not using it
- Do not use your mobile phone in an area where you have (almost) no reception because the device is forced to produce stronger radiation in order to be able to find reception
The most important advice I want to give you is, no matter how difficult this is, give yourself and your smartphone a little rest every now and then and you will see that you feel better.
Especially at night, it is most salutary to place your smartphone as far away from you as possible to get a good and undisturbed night's sleep.
SLEEPLESSNESS THROUGH BLUE LIGHT
Another reason why it is better not to sleep with your smartphone nearby is because of the blue light that the screen produces.
When you look at a screen (telephone, tablet, TV, laptop, etc.) you expose yourself to blue light.
Blue light has the property of fooling your mind and body into thinking it is still daytime.
As a result, your body will produce (almost) no melatonin and this is precisely the hormone you need to be able to fall and stay asleep.
Things you can do to avoid blue light exposure before going to sleep include:
- Put your smartphone away at least an hour before you go to sleep
- Remove the TV from your bedroom
- Put your phone in "Night mode"
- Wear special glasses that filter blue light in the evening
WANT TO SLEEP BETTER IN A NATURAL WAY?
Not sleeping with your smartphone is just one of the steps you can / should take to get rid of your insomnia and sleep better.
Do you want to fall asleep faster and sleep better? Then I would like to recommend the Weighted Blanket.
With this sleep aid, you will get the perfect night's sleep and wake up fit and rested every morning.
You will also get, among other things, the right sleep hormones at the right time and a lower amount of stress and sleep anxiety.
