Reducing EMF in Your Bedroom for Better Sleep

You’ve probably heard of EMFs, but you may not know just how much they’re affecting your quality of life. Reducing EMFs in your bedroom with a few simple adjustments to your daily routine can go a long way to ensure you’re sleeping better and experiencing fewer symptoms of EMF exposure overall. Before I share my nighttime EMF safety strategies with you, let’s take a quick look at EMFs.

Radiofrequency (RF) and electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are forms of radiation that emanate from your cell phone, laptop, Bluetooth devices, home appliances, and a variety of other sources such as power lines, smart meters, and wireless modems.

You might not think of this radiation as harmful, but research from over 1800 studies suggests the effects of exposure include DNA damage, genotoxicity, reduction in free radicals, fertility concerns, a negative impact on offspring, including an increase in behavioral or emotional problems, and more. On top of that, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified EMFs as potentially carcinogenic to humans.

You should know that RF-EMFs produce an invisible smog that’s constantly bombarding your body. If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, you might be exposed to too much RF-EMF radiation:

• Bodily aches and pains
• Brain buzzing or static
• Burning, tingling, prickly skin
• Dizziness
• Ears ringing
• Fatigue
• Feeling stressed or wired
• Headache
• Hives or rashes
• Hormone imbalances
• Loss of concentration
• Memory loss
• Sleep disturbance
• Tremors

Children and babies in utero are more sensitive to EMFs because their central nervous systems are still developing. While the use of technology is a fact of modern life, there are some things you can do to protect yourself and your children from overexposure to RF-EMF radiation. My recommendations are to start with safeguarding your bedrooms using the following tips:

1. Make a “No Cell Phones in the Bedroom” Rule – Scrolling before bed is not only bad for your sleep habits, as the light and information stimulate your brain keeping you active and awake, but it also tends to mean you set your cell phone on your nightstand before falling asleep. Sleeping with your phone inches from your brain and body every night increases your exposure to EMFs and may have an adverse impact on melatonin production and regulation of your circadian rhythm. So power it down and leave it outside the bedroom. If you have to have it in your bedroom, put it on Airplane Mode and put it as far away from your body as possible.
2. Unplug Your Wi-Fi Router Before Bed – A wireless home is convenient and keeps things tidy by reducing unsightly cords, but Wi-Fi routers usually run 24/7. This means your family is always exposed to EMF radiation. To start, never put Wi-Fi routers in bedrooms. Next, while it may feel like a hassle, unplugging your router every night will reduce your exposure for 8-9 hours each day. To keep it easy, you can connect the router to a plug-in timer that turns it on and off at a set time each morning and night. For the greatest reduction in EMF exposure, use a wired connection for your computers.
3. Invest in Shielding Technology – With the increased warnings as to the dangers of RF-EMF radiation, technology that reduces or neutralizes the effects is advancing at a rapid rate. Protection devices and shielding material are becoming increasingly available. Cell phone and tablet cases, blankets, wearable devices, even clothes with anti-EMF technology are available. Some have a 99% effectiveness rate. Users claim to feel less drained, more alert, and psychologically balanced even after extended hours on their devices.

While the long-term consequences of RF-EMFs to human health are still uncertain, there’s no doubt more will continue to emerge with each generation. Start now by making these changes to your daily routine and see if you notice a difference in your own health and wellbeing. I know I have and so have many of my patients. If you’re still in doubt as to the impact of RF-EMFs on your quality of life, try unplugging for a weekend by going into nature and leaving your devices at home. Notice if you feel better and sleep more soundly. When you return home and plug back in, pay attention to the changes. If you see an increase in any of the symptoms outlined above, you may want to consider reducing your RF-EMF exposure.

References

1. https://bioinitiative.org/conclusions/ https://www.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr208_E.pdf
   
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3700989/
   
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6513191/
   
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30547710\
   
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24772943

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