I admit, I’m guilty of this on some nights when I want to complete some work in bed before I go to sleep. With the advent of smartphones in our society today, many of us use our phones for more than just calling and texting. We use them as alarm clocks, calculators, calendars, surfing the internet and so much more. So much so that we bring them everywhere we go, even when we go to bed.
While the technology that has made our mobile phones evolved so has made our lives easier, it has also inadvertently caused some disruptions to our sleep. Here are some reasons why you may want to think twice before going to sleep with your phone tonight.
#1 Your mobile phone is a distraction
Similar to how it can be one in your waking hours, your phone can also cause you to lose a ton of quality sleep. How, you may ask? If you are one of the guilty ones, you will notice that even though you may have told yourself that you will go to sleep at 11pm so that you can be fresh and ready to face the next day, you find yourself only being kept awake because you just can’t seem to get off that darn phone.
Besides that, mobile phones, alike other gadgets with LED screens, also give out what is known as blue light which inhibits the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. The blue light emits wavelengths that are similar to daylight which can make our bodies think it’s daytime, at any time of the day. Kind of scary when you think about it isn’t it?
So, therein lies your answer as to why it is highly recommended that you use an actual alarm clock at your bedside and leave your phone outside so that when it’s bedtime, it’s literally bedtime.
#2 Cancer causing
Although there isn’t any sure claims and research done to confirm that the small doses of electromagnetic radiation emitted from our mobile phones can cause cancer, it may still be better to be safe than sorry. Point to note is that these small forms of radiation are similar to the ones given out from X-rays and microwaves which can lead to tumor growth in high amounts in the long run.
In 2011, the World Health Organisation did warn that frequent usage of mobile phones can possibly be carcinogenic, especially to children whose scalps and skulls are thinner than adults and obviously more vulnerable to radiation.
So if you are worried at all about the risks, you may want to consider more texting than calling and basically keeping the phone away from your ear as much as possible. This also includes not going to bed with your phone next to your head, if you know what’s best for you.
#3 Fire hazard
Just a few years ago, we may have laughed this off as impossible. But since the Samsung Note 7 explosion incidents in the last year (together with other Samsung devices), you honestly never know when yours will be the next one.
Imagine having your mobile phone blowing up beside you while you sleep. Not only will you cause hurt to yourself, you may also set your pillow (or bed), on fire. And with you in a sleep-induced stupor, it really is not going to be a situation you want to get caught in. Neither is it a risk you want to take.
