Need More Sleep? Ditch the Cell

Can't get the sandman to stop by? Quit calling the guy. According to reports from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, talking on a cell phone before heading to bed can prevent a person from getting a good night's sleep.

Ironically enough, the study was funded by mobile phone companies. Research performed by Sweden's Karolinska Institute and Wayne State found that radiation emitted by the average cell phone can cause more than just headaches, confusion, and car accidents -- it can also lead to insomnia. (Source: usatoday.com)

How, you ask?

Researchers found that using a cell phone right before bed interfered with the body's ability to refresh itself by limiting the ability to absorb a truly deep sleep. Those behind the study carefully examined 35 men and 36 women between the ages of 18 and 45; some of these participants were placed in conditions equivalent to the radiation produced by a cell phone, while the rest were put in similar situations, but were not actually exposed.

Those open to the cell-like radiation took longer to reach a deep sleep, and spent less time there. Such findings led researchers to conclude, "The study indicates that during laboratory exposure to 884 MHz wireless signals components of sleep believed to be important for recovery from daily wear and tear are adversely affected." (Source: bbc.co.uk)

More directly, those same researchers offered the following advice, "if you need to make a phone call in the evening it is much better to use a land line, and don't have your mobile by your bedside table."

Although recent studies have disproved beliefs that cell phones cause immediate danger for the brain, these researchers refused to dismiss the potential for long term problems (including cancer).