Currently, we are all so addicted to our smartphones that as much as 29% of smartphone users say that they are anxious without their phones in their pockets. 44% of Americans say that they could not go a day without their smartphones, and 71% of people sleep with or next to their cellphones. We cannot go a day without them, but very few people ask if we can go a night in the absence of our phones.
As part of our service to you, we want to discuss how good of an idea it is to sleep with your device. We understand that many people are doing it, and we want you to have the best night’s sleep you can possibly have.
Charging Your Phone
Some people, mostly teenagers, sleep with their phones under the pillow, and charge it at night. This is a bad idea. Older phones are more likely to have Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, which have been known to charge too much and destroy itself. Other types of batteries are prone to overheating. This danger becomes magnified when the heat has nowhere to go but in your pillow.
Generally, it is a good idea to stick to manufacturer parts. This means that all of the facets of your phone will work with each other, as designed. If you have to charge your phone, it may be best to keep it on the nightstand, or somewhere else where the heat can go and dissipate.
Checking Your Cell
Removing your phone from your bed may be a good idea since you may feel a need to get updates on your email, social media profiles, or whatever else you have going on. According to a poll, around one fourth of 18-24 year olds said they sleep poorly due to the fact that they are connected to technology all the time. This is due to the fact that many people keep their phone within reach as they rest.
The problem, however, is deeper than that. One of the problems with phones and tablets is the fact that they emit blue light. This light is picked up by our eyes, and the brain thinks that it is morning. The blue light suppresses melatonin, which helps with circadian rhythms and sleep timing. Melatonin should rise as we anticipate resting, not decrease.
Radiation
Ever since there have been cell phones, there have been wild rumors relating to them. While many of these rumors are scientifically untenable, there have been some cases where repeated use has been shown to have harmful effects. Cell phones work due to radiofrequency energy, which is a low level form of radiation.
The National Toxicology Program has recently released a report which found a link between radiofrequency radiation levels and cancer in mice and rats. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies cell phones as possibly carcinogenic. While some findings have been controversial, the results that these large and well-funded agencies have produced remain beyond doubt.
Given all of these factors, it may be wise to have a few feet between your phone and your bed. Having your phone on the other side of the room may prove wise if you need your phone for its alarm clock. If you have another way to wake up, it would be ideal for you to put your phone in another room as you sleep.
If you have any questions about getting the best night of sleep possible, contact us. The experts at Mattress World and Al Davis Furniture want you to have the rest that you deserve. Come visit us today.
