Why sleeping next to your phone is dangerous: it's not just radiation

 The last thing most of us do before bed is turn off our phone and put it next to us. But it's actually a bad habit. And there are several reasons at once.

This can make it difficult to fall asleep

Studies show that using any electronic device before bed – not just your phone, but also your tablet, TV, computer, game console, etc. – can make the process of falling asleep more difficult. When you use gadgets, especially your cell phone, right before bed, you don't give your body and brain enough time to relax. In addition, news feeds, videos or games provoke emotions that can be too strong before sleep.

This can disrupt your sleep cycle

The action of blue light, which is present in the backlight of modern screens, throws off your internal clock, delaying the natural release of melatonin, the hormone that provokes falling asleep. For thousands of years, our circadian rhythms have been closely tied to the sunrise and sunset, which signaled when it was time to sleep and when it was time to wake up. But smartphones disrupted this process. Whether you're exposing yourself to blue light right before bed or having your phone flash at night while you sleep, it's going to have a negative effect on your sleep cycle. Some smartphones have a blue light filter function, but it will be more effective to refuse to use the gadget completely before going to bed.

This slightly increases the risk of exposure

The scaremongering that cell phone use can cause cancer currently lacks sufficient scientific evidence. However, it is difficult to deny the fact that a mobile phone emits a small level of non-ionizing radiation during use. The only known side effect of this is heating. Nevertheless, experts advise not to place the gadget near the bed in order to avoid any risks and get a better night's sleep.

Ideally, it is better to take the gadget to another room so that it does not interfere with anything. If you still need your phone close to you, turn off all notifications, including vibration, and place the device with the screen facing down so that flashes don't interrupt your sleep.