Do you sleep with your cell phone in your bedroom?

[joannqn]

First, I ran across this news story about a group of students who discovered that plants won't grow if placed near a wi-fi router. They mentioned coming up with the experiment after some of them noticed that they had difficulty concentrating at school the day after they slept with cell phones near their head.

 

That lead me to this thread in which OhElizabeth talked about her issues with EMF/radiation.

 

So, I asked DH to humor me and leave the cell phones (his and mine) out of the bedroom for a while. Last night is day 4.

 

I FEEL HUMAN AGAIN!

 

Ok, I know it could all be coincidence or placebo effect. It's only been 4 days, and I haven't challenged the results yet. But to feel human again is a big deal.

 

Before: I laid in bed for 1-3 hours before I'd finally fall asleep.

Last 4 days: I'm falling asleep fast enough that I don't get a chance to check the clock to see how long it's been. I'm guessing 10-15 minutes tops because I don't feel like I'm lying away at all.

 

Before: I woke up 1-2 times every night to pee.

Last 4 days: I haven't woken up at all in the middle of the night....not even once in the last four days.

 

Before: I woke up feeling like my soft tissues were quivering.

Last 4 days: The quivering was gone days 1-3; I felt the quivering this morning. The difference between the first three days and last night is that I was up rather late reading. So, I think it has to do with lack of sleep.

 

Before: I had the hardest time getting out of bed. I'd wake up, lay there, fall back asleep. lay there.

Last 4 days: I wake up, lay there for a little bit, and get out of bed.

 

Before: I felt horrible and exhausted all day.

Last 4 days: I feel decent...like anyone would who has had a lack of sleep for a long time but has gotten sleep for a few days.

 

Just sharing. Take what you want.

[poppy]

That is a remarkable example of the placebo effect. But I am glad you feel better.'

 

No, I do not sleep with a cell phone in my bedroom.

[Jen in PA]

I use the alarm on my cell phone several days a week, so the phone is on my bedside table on those nights. I have never noticed any difference.

[Lady Florida.]

Yes, I do. We don't have a landline, so I want a phone nearby in case of emergency.

 

Agree about the placebo effect. There's no science to that at all. Sorry, but it's true.

[PeacefulChaos]

Interesting!

I always have my cell phone in our room at night... it's my alarm clock. We don't have a clock or anything like that in there. It hasn't affected how I sleep or anything, but it's not right next to my head, either... it's on the nightstand.

I have noticed that over the last several months, I haven't had it right on me like I used to all the time. I'll occasionally even forget to take it with me when I leave the house! Wow! :lol: :D I used to never even leave the room without it...

[Dandelion]

Yes, I do. We don't have a landline either, so I keep it in the room for emergencies. It's also my alarm clock.

 

Glad you're sleeping better, regardless of the reason! :)

[Heatherwith4]

Yes, we keep our cell phones in the room with us. I want them there in case of emergency.

 

However, I'm glad your symptoms are improving, no matter what the cause is!

[QueenCat]

No. We have an alarm clock to use to wake us up. And a landline for a phone should someone need to reach us if need be. No need to have another distraction in the bedroom..... I'd be too tempted to check it during the night.

[PrincessMommy]

I don't normally have my cell phone with me but lately I have because our oldest is due any day now with our first grandchild. I've had trouble sleeping no matter where my cell phone is. But, I'm glad you have found something to help you sleep better.

[HRAAB]

I always have my cell phone in my room for emergencies. I wouldn't be able to hear it otherwise. I am tempted to give it a try for a few nights, but since I'm a doubter, I'm sure it won't make any difference. But you never know...

[Χά�ων]

Some times my phone is in the room with me other times it is not. There is no difference in how I sleep.

[unfrumpable.]

I use my cell phone as an alarm, plus I prefer having it there in case of emergency. It is right next to my bed so I can reach it easily from bed. Once the alarm starts going off in the morning, I shove it under my pillow until I'm ready to wake up. I have no issues and I easily fall asleep every night, as well as fall asleep between hitting the snooze button. :)

[Guest]

Yes...we use them as alarms, but we also read our Bible plans together on them at night, so they get set down when we are done with that.

[annandatje]

My cell phone lives in my purse most of time. When I am at office, it sits on my desk ready to receive calls from family.

 

At home, my purse sits on master bathroom countertop. In car, purse sits between two front seats.

[elegantlion]

Yes, since we don't have a landline. Also the router and modem are in the bedroom. Interestingly I switched around the bedroom and classroom recently. I sleep much better in the old classroom, maybe it's all the wall mounted bookshelves.

[Pawz4me]

I always have my cell phone nearby. At night it's either on or in the night table, and on the whole neither DH nor I have any trouble sleeping whatsoever. So I vote for placebo effect. Although I wouldn't discount the possibility of some people being extra sensitive to whatever it is that cell phones emit. Our router is in youngest DS's bedroom, and he for sure doesn't seem to have any difficulty sleeping!

 

ETA: I don't think I'd put too much faith in that study unless it was replicated under controlled conditions.

[Crimson Wife]

DH has to for work, and it does interfere with my sleep. Not because of the radiation, but because it buzzes and DH has to check it. 95% of the time it's some idiot in Asia or Europe blasting the entire department for something that should be more targeted in its recipients, but because of the other 5% when it's important, DH is required to check. I hate the new 24/7/365 workplace :cursing:

[dirty ethel rackham]

My cell phone is rarely in my bedroom... only when I have a child out late who is supposed to text me when he is on his way or if he will be delayed, or in a hotel room. Otherwise, I find it too distracting - every little buzz when I get an email or a facebook conversation. I wish dh did not have his cell in the bedroom as I find it distracting. He gets email dispatches all night and his cell buzzes all night. He has to have it nearby though in case he gets an emergency phone call.

[4kidlets4me]

I sleep with it on my nightstand. We don't have a landline and I want it there in case of emergency. I have no problem sleeping.

[regentrude]

I sometimes do and I sometimes don't. I notice no difference.

[Just Kate]

No landline here, so mine is always on my nightstand.

 

One thing for those if you who say that every little ding wakes you up...most phones can be set so that it only dings when you want it to. For instance, neither Facebook nor email makes sounds on my iPhone. However I do get a ding when I receive a text. This keeps my phone much quieter at night.

[Firefly]

I'm really curious about this issue. There is a lecture taking place here next month on the cell-phone/wireless issue. I admit I've always thought it was a bunch of hooey, but the panel line up is pretty impressive: scientists from Yale, NY State Dept of Health, Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, etc. I do sleep with my cell phone by my bed every night as my alarm; it's in airplane mode, but I'm not sure if that makes much of a difference. I'll be watching the thread closely!

[LaxMom]

Yes, mine is my alarm clock. I'm on the emergency call list for work, so it has to be where I can hear it and, frankly, it takes up way less space than an alarm clock.

 

The app I use lets me dim the display, so it's not shining in my face all night.

 

I sleep the same way I did before it was on my nightstand. Even before cell phones and wifi existed, in fact.

[Lady Florida.]

our oldest is due any day now with our first grandchild.

 

How exciting for you all! Being a grandparent is such fun. :)

 

ETA: I don't think I'd put too much faith in that study unless it was replicated under controlled conditions.

 

This. So often I see one or two studies touted as proof of something and just shake my head. I'm not saying what those studies find isn't true, but in our time of 24/7 information I wish we'd wait until there are enough controlled studies have been replicated in any subject. Tangent over. :)

 

DH has to for work, and it does interfere with my sleep. Not because of the radiation, but because it buzzes and DH has to check it. 95% of the time it's some idiot in Asia or Europe blasting the entire department for something that should be more targeted in its recipients, but because of the other 5% when it's important, DH is required to check. I hate the new 24/7/365 workplace :cursing:

 

Oh, that would be frustrating even though I'd understand the need for it. I have enough trouble sleeping (and did before the days of cellphones) that I don't need anything added to it. :grouphug:

 

Otherwise, I find it too distracting - every little buzz when I get an email or a facebook conversation. I wish dh did not have his cell in the bedroom as I find it distracting. He gets email dispatches all night and his cell buzzes all night. He has to have it nearby though in case he gets an emergency phone call.

 

Dh and I both have Do Not Disturb set on our phones. Only those phone numbers on a specific list will come through. You can tell it what time to turn on and when to turn off. This is a setting in the iPhone. Android and Windows phones might have something similar.

 

 

Yes, mine is my alarm clock. I'm on the emergency call list for work, so it has to be where I can hear it and, frankly, it takes up way less space than an alarm clock.

 

 

I use an alarm clock/radio with a dock, but I've been wondering why I bother. It takes up space and I never use the radio or the alarm sounds. I use an alarm clock app rather than setting it to "phone" on the actual clock/radio because I like the app's options better. The speakers sound nice though. I've been thinking of moving it to a main area of the house and just using it as a dock to play music.

[Lady Florida.]

 

One thing for those if you who say that every little ding wakes you up...most phones can be set so that it only dings when you want it to. For instance, neither Facebook nor email makes sounds on my iPhone. However I do get a ding when I receive a text. This keeps my phone much quieter at night.

 

I missed your post when was quoting and posting. In addition to the Do Not Disturb setting, you can also set individual apps such as facebook and email to notify you or not.

[Lily_Grace]

Our house rule is no electronics in the bedrooms without good reason. The 3yo has a cd player for audio books, but the rest of us leave the stuff off that level of the house unless dh is on call. We've set up our home here so that the router is in the basement, eliminating a 14yo on his ipod all night. :)

 

I still don't sleep. There's one with night terrors, one who snores, and I've got a bladder the size of an infant's. :lol: Sleep is a rarity..and by 5am we're all up anyway with the sun streaming in through the bedroom windows (and oddly enough, the sun has only made an appearance in the morning over the past 3 months. The rest of the time is blasted rain and dreariness).

[texasmama]

My cell phone lives in my purse most of time. When I am at office, it sits on my desk ready to receive calls from family.

 

At home, my purse sits on master bathroom countertop. In car, purse sits between two front seats.

This is my situation with the exception that I keep my purse on the end of the kitchen countertop with cell phone in it.

 

Dh keeps his cell phone with him 24/7, including in our bedroom when we sleep. It is about five feet away on the top of a dresser so when his cell phone alarm goes off, he has to get out of bed to turn it off.

[Lady Florida.]

My cell phone lives in my purse most of time. When I am at office, it sits on my desk ready to receive calls from family.

 

At home, my purse sits on master bathroom countertop. In car, purse sits between two front seats.

This is my situation with the exception that I keep my purse on the end of the kitchen countertop with cell phone in it.

 

Dh keeps his cell phone with him 24/7, including in our bedroom when we sleep. It is about five feet away on the top of a dresser so when his cell phone alarm goes off, he has to get out of bed to turn it off.

 

When we had a landline my cell phone pretty much stayed in my purse so I wouldn't forget it when I went out. After we cancelled our landline it took a while for me to start carrying it around the house. Too many times I had to run to another room when it started ringing (we had a phone in several rooms with our landline). Now I just stick it in my pocket or bring to whatever room I'll be in for a while and set in down nearby.

[Tita Gidge]

At home, no. Never. No electronics in the room at all, actually. Any bedroom.

 

At work, yes, because I sleep in hotels. In a suite, it goes in the sitting room; in a room, it goes on the dresser or desk (not nightstand).

 

I also don't make it a habit to carry my cell phone on my person.

 

At work, I'm on call 24/7 and haven't yet had any problems being reached - night or day.

 

I've been in a few emergency situations where a cell phone hasn't been (as, if at all) useful - so I keep a landline. Outside my bedroom LOL.

 

I'm happy to err on the side of placebo effect :) I don't get hung up on semantics, I only care whether or not something seems to be working!

[Orthodox6]

The article comes from Dr. Mercola . . . so I'm off to the next thread.

[SKL]

Yes, and since my bedroom is also my home office, my computer is a few feet away from my head when I sleep. I am sure this is not ideal, but I don't realistically have a choice. I would not want to miss an emergency call and I don't want other people in the house having access to my messages etc.

[SKL]

But (call me a hypocrite) my kids have never been allowed electronics in their room, except for the DS/music players that are nearly always "off."

[TravelingChris]

No, not our regular cell phones. My dh has his USAF issued blackberry in the room, getting charged, but not that close to our bed. He needs to have it in the room in case of some announcement at night. It has called him once in the last almost two years. When he retires, I hope all such electronics leave our room. We do use cell phones as alarm clocks when traveling and haven't had problems with them then.

 

In terms of harms of cell phones- I don't know that anything has been finally decided. However, I do know that radio personnel have higher brain cancer rates than normal. I am not one to think that everything is harmful but also like to be cautious. so I think it is better to use speaker options for cell phones and not have them by the head, if one can. I know that electricity is used to help make bones heal (i.e. grow) and I would think that it could conceivably make other things grow better too like cancer cells. I know that there have been warnings given on using laptops on your lap with nothing between you and the laptop (or just clothing) as there seems to be some danger there and there is a dispute whether it is the warmth or the electrical field that is the issue.

 

I think these issues are hard to sort out because I don't think there is straight causality in any of them. Which is why not everyone who does something gets a problem. It might be a combination of genetics and the device or maybe the state of your immune system and the device or who really knows.

[mrs.m]

I have a very healthy plant with new growth very close to a WiFi router. I'm not sure I trust their research.

[Mrs Mungo]

No landline here, so mine is always on my nightstand.

 

One thing for those if you who say that every little ding wakes you up...most phones can be set so that it only dings when you want it to. For instance, neither Facebook nor email makes sounds on my iPhone. However I do get a ding when I receive a text. This keeps my phone much quieter at night.

 

I have only read down to this post, but wanted to point out another function on the iPhone. I have mine to make noise for Facebook notifications, texts, etc during the day. However, the iPhone has a do not disturb function. My "do not disturb" is set from 1 am to 7 am, that is my prime sleeping time. It doesn't make noise or vibrate for any reason during that time-not calls, texts, emails or anything.

 

Now, if you are worried about emergencies, then you can set certain people as "favorites" and their calls (but not Facebook messages or anything) will still go through. My parents, sisters, husband and kids are set as favorites. Also, if someone calls twice within 3 minutes it will still go through. I love this feature. :)

[nmoira]

I would suspect that those who sleep better with their smartphones out of the room are benefiting from either the placebo effect or the removal of temptation to get stuck checking "just one more thing." Either way, if it works for you, go for it.

[Liz CA]

Several people here said it's a placebo effect. But how do we know? There is as much literature out there supporting this than there is saying it's bunk.

 

Joann, if you feel better, that's all that counts.

[Melissa in Australia]

I only very rarely use the mobile and I never have it in my room. When the top brain surgeon in Australia announced that he doesn't have any scientific proof to mobiles causing brain tumors, but he is cutting cancerous tumors out of more and more people from close proximity to their ears and they are all people who use their mobiles continually for work I think it is time for people to sit up and think about what they are doing.

[nmoira]

Several people here said it's a placebo effect. But how do we know? There is as much literature out there supporting this than there is saying it's bunk.

 

 

If not more. There's a lot of noise on this. But if we restrict the field to well designed research conducted under controlled and replicable conditions, the evidence overwhelmingly supports its being "bunk."

[joannqn]

Because the link source was questioned, I spent more time finding what seems to be a better source. I should have waited until I had more time to find a better source rather than grabbing the first one I found.

 

It's being discussed on ABC, who linked to a Danish news website. The articles mention that researchers in several countries are interested in the girls' experiment, and it appears the experiment will end up being repeated in a controlled scientific environment.

 

 

 

Regardless of the cause, I am happy to be sleeping again and I thank those who replied in a positive manner.

 

.

[Laurie]

To answer your question, yes I sleep with a cell phone in my bedroom, but it's always off at night. (I prefer to use a land line but we have a simple cell phone that we share as a family.)

 

You might be interested in doing a search for Samuel Milham M.D. Here's one article about "electrosmog" that mentions him:

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/34509513/ns/health-cancer/t/electrosmog-harming-our-health/#.UavesYYc3D5

 

I've heard Dr. Milham speak about this subject, and I've read his book, Dirty Electricity. I think it's important to study the people who may already be having ill-effects from things like wi-fi and cell phones, not only to help them but to also learn if they may be like canaries in the coal mine for the rest of us.

[IrishMum]

I even turn of my router. Cell phones, laptops, and any electronic devices are banned form bedrooms at night. My boys are not allowed to put cell phones, or cordless phones near their heads. I am a tin-foil hat wearer and proud ;)! If you want to read more on EMF, and the damage it causes look at Jack Kruse's website.

[ChristusG]

Not just in my room.....my phone sleeps beside me in bed LOL! I don't have a night stand, so I usually just lie it beside me when I go to sleep. I like to lie in bed and read, or surf the internet before I fall asleep. Plus, I use it as my alarm clock. So beside me it is.

 

Also, the only notifications I allow to come through my phone are texts. I shut off of the notifications for Facebook, emails, etc.

[Liz CA]

As far as the "well designed research" goes, I cannot say I would trust current research completely since we have barely had cell phones for 8-10 years now (I am not including the old carphone here) and I feel any study should be cross sectional as well as longitudinal to give believable results. What if we find out in twenty years, we could have avoided it? Just a thought.

 

I like to err on the side of caution when it comes to health.

[Joker]

We don't have a home phone, so I do sleep with my cell phone nearby. I have the opposite problem and cannot sleep if I forgot it and left it somewhere else.

[amy g.]

I sleep with mine in my hand. I wake up if it is not in my hand. I friend random people with my face while I am sleeping.

 

I need an intervention.