The year 2020 has made the French even more addicted to their phones than they already were. We spend more time photographing-tweeting our dishes than savoring them and sending text messages than talking to each other “for real”.
Texts and emails come in constantly, and you never know when you might need to call someone.
But your should the phone be on or near it while you sleep ? Probably not, and here's why.
This can make it harder to fall asleep
When you use your cell phone right before you go to bed, you don't give your body and brain enough time to relax. Plus, it's so easy to get caught up in the game you're playing, the Twitter feed you're scrolling through, or the show you're streaming.
It can be hard to put your phone down once you've engaged with something, whether it's a text conversation or another app. By not having your phone nearby while you try to relax and fall asleep, you won't be tempted to reach out and start scrolling mindlessly.
It can interfere with your sleep cycle
By not using your phone right before bed, you also reduce your exposure to blue light. Exposure to blue light so close to bedtime can often interfere with your circadian rhythm.
Essentially, blue light messes up your internal clock by delaying the natural release of melatonin before you fall asleep.
Our circadian rhythms were, and still are, to some extent, closely aligned with the sunrise and sunset each day. So naturally, throughout the day, our body knew when it was time to wake up and go to sleep.
Smartphones have thrown a wrench into many people's circadian rhythms, largely because of blue light. Whether you expose yourself to blue light right before bed or when your phone lights up all night with notifications, your sleep cycle will be negatively affected. Chances are you'll wake up dizzy or sleep-deprived.
The best way to cancel out the effects of blue light is to ndo not use your phone a few hours before going to bed.
There is a low risk of exposure to radiation
There are many people who say that cell phones cause cancer. At present, there is not enough definitive scientific evidence to support this claim.
A study conducted by the National Toxicology Program in 1999 exposed rats to high levels of radio frequency radiation from cell phones. They found evidence of tumors, both benign and malignant, in the heart, brain and adrenal glands of the rats tested.
However, FDA says that "nearly 30 years of scientific evidence has not linked exposure to radio frequency energy from cell phone use to health problems, such as cancer."
Due to conflicting studies and scientific information, it's difficult to know what cell phone best practices are.
Your mobile phone is emitting low levels of non-ionizing radiation , but only when in use. The only known side effect of this radiation is heating. Your phone gets hot when it has been used for a while, and if you hold your phone to your head to make a call, the surrounding body tissues may also heat up.
If you are concerned about potential radiation exposure, there are things you can do.
- Keep your phone away from you while you sleep.
- If you need to listen to music or a podcast while you sleep, try using headphones or a Bluetooth speaker.
- Try to take hands-free calls and keep your cell phone somewhere other than your pocket.
Widening the distance between you and your cell phone is essential to reducing the small effects that radio frequency radiation can have on you.