Quality sleep is critical to our overall health and well-being. Research indicates the effects of EMF exposure on the endocrine system may play a role in both sleep cycles and stress responses. A better understanding of this relationship can help you optimize your sleep, manage your bodily stress, and ultimately improve your daily performance.
EMFs and the Endocrine System
The endocrine system creates, controls, distributes, and regulates hormones, allowing for the proper function of physiological processes throughout the body. Examples of these functions include sleep, which is triggered by melatonin (the sleep hormone) in the pineal gland, and stress response, triggered by cortisol (the stress hormone) in the adrenal gland. Studies have shown the regulation of these hormones may be specifically impacted by EMF exposure.
Research has suggested that EMFs act as an external, invisible stressor, which can cause imbalances within the endocrine system. Throughout the day, there are a number of personal, social, and environmental factors that trigger hormonal responses throughout the endocrine system. Due to its complex nature, the endocrine system is resilient and can adapt to occasional imbalances to normalize bodily function. However, this may not be the case with chronic exposure to a stressor such as EMFs.
Impacts on Stress and Sleep
More specifically, rest and recovery during sleep periods are essential for our bodies to regulate stress responses and regain normalized physiological functions. By optimizing your bedroom for a good night’s sleep, most of the stressors we may experience during the day disappear.
A key difference between EMFs and other external stressors is the consistency of exposure. Most of us are actively using our EMF emitting devices throughout the day, however, this invisible stressor does not go dormant at night. Whether it is your smart security system, a deep sleep meditation on YouTube, the perfect A/C temperature, or the monitor to keep an eye on your little one, most of us rely on our electronics even while we sleep. By acting as a stressor both day and night, EMFs inhibit our bodies from fully resting and recovering.
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