The rest and recovery that come from a good night’s sleep are essential for the well-being and function of our bodies. However, the growing amount of wireless technology in our homes may be an invisible reason for your lack of quality sleep. Our cell phones, tablets, smart devices, gaming systems, even baby monitors, plus the wifi routers that connect them to the internet are constantly surrounding us. How can this constant exposure to EMFs affect your sleep?
Why Is Sleep So Important?
Sleep is a complex, subjective, and situational process that varies based on a person’s individual physiology and lifestyle. It is important for proper function of the metabolic, nervous, and immune systems. Additionally, cognitive abilities, memory and information processing, as well as emotional responses can all be impacted positively or negatively depending on sleep quality. Overall, your sleep cycle plays a crucial role in your daily performance, brain function, and both physical and emotional well-being.
How Do EMFs Affect Sleep?
In general, the human body is more susceptible to outside influences while at rest, making EMF exposure of greater concern while sleeping. More specifically, stress is a known contributor to poor sleep quality among a large number of people. While we often associate the word “stress” with an emotional response, it is also a physiological response to imbalances, which occurs down to the cellular level. Research has proven exposure to EMFs has the potential to induce stress responses within the body, which may be a factor inhibiting quality sleep.
Studies have also shown circadian rhythm and melatonin production may be impacted by EMFs. Melatonin is a hormone that your brain produces to help regulate your internal, 24-hour cycle, also known as your circadian rhythm. The research has provided insight that, in some cases, EMFs affect the proper function of the endocrine system, changing physiological processes such as sleep. While results from research on the effects of EMFs on the human bodies do vary widely, this ultimately demonstrates the considerable diversity of biological responses, not the safety of this form of radiation.
So Are EMFs Why I Can’t Sleep?
The EMFs in your home may be one invisible reason contributing to consistent lack of quality sleep. Your body needs time to recover from the exposure to EMFs during the day, but we also rely on our technology while we rest. While the individualized nature of sleep cycles makes it challenging to identify the root cause and true extent of the impact EMF, it is a factor that needs to be considered. As more extensive studies of long-term exposure are conducted, experts suggest optimizing your sleep environment to minimize exposure to EMFs during the night.
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