Exposure to the radio frequency fields (RF) that come from mobile phones is linked with disturbed sleep patterns, headaches and cognitive disorders such as lowered concentration levels, according to recent research.
If the research is correct, using a mobile phone before you hit the hay will prevent you from getting a good night’s rest. In the study it was observed that subjects who used a mobile phone before bedtime took longer to fall into the first stage of sleep and stayed in the second stage of deep sleep for a shorter while.
These deep stages of sleep, which mobile use appears to interfere with, must be attained in order for the body to feel ‘refreshed’ in the morning.
The study, which was carried out by Wayne State University in the US and the Karolinska Institute and Uppsala University in Sweden, was funded by the Mobile Manufacturers Forum, an international organisation formed in 1998 to look at the effects of wireless technologies on human health.
Using the levels of radiation usually found in standard mobile handsets, 36 women and 35 men were exposed to radiation levels that come from 884MHz GSM wireless communication signals, ie mobile phones.
The data collected appears to suggest that the radiation affects the regulation of the hormone melatonin in the human body, as it showed that mood and concentration levels were affected.
“The study indicates that during laboratory exposure to 884MHz wireless signals components of sleep believed to be important for recovery from daily wear and tear are adversely affected,” the publication stated.
By Marie Boran
