Sleeping with a cell phone can make it challenging to doze off and get enough quality snooze time.
That deficit may affect your overall health.
Sleep Disruption
Cell phones can make it harder to fall and stay asleep.
MarioGuti/iStock
This is likely due in part to cell phones' effect on thecircadian rhythm.
Exposure to cell phone light at night can interfere with this signaling, making it harder to fall asleep.
Safety
Sleeping with a cell phone under your pillow or wrapped in your blankets limits its airflow.
There is a small risk that this can cause the lithium battery to overheat and even catch on fire.
Research to date has found no health risks associated with cell phone radiation, but studies are ongoing.
There’s no set distance.
Summary
Sleeping with a cell phone can make it harder to fall and stay asleep.
What’s more, it may pose a safety risk.
To break the habit, establish anevening routinethat includes an off-screen, wind-down activity.
It’s also smart to keep your phone out of your bedroom overnight.
doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02825-4
Khan MA, Al-Jahdali H.The consequences of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance.Neurosciences (Riyadh).
2020 Feb 10;15(2):e0228756.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0228756
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The color of the light affects the circadian rhythms.
2016;42(4):e61-e64.
doi:10.1016/j.burns.2015.10.012
National Cancer Institute.Cell phones and cancer risk.
