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Can Cell Phones Give You Insomnia?

February 16, 2008 | 87,605 views

insomnia, poor sleep, cell phone dangers, emf, rf, radio frequenciesA study suggests that using a cell phone before going to bed could cause insomnia, headaches and confusion. It can also cut your amount of deep sleep, interfering with your body‘s ability to refresh itself.





Dr. Mercola's Comments:

I’ve written more about this subject lately as I believe the cellular phone industry’s fervent denial of the hazards of information-carrying radio waves -- emitted by cell phones, base stations and Wi-Fi -- is the mirror image of where Big Tobacco was in the 1920’s. And, we all know how that story ended. If you try to claim smoking is harmless today, people will laugh you out of the building. 

I am also currently finishing my next book on this very topic and it should be published in spring or summer of 2009. 

What I have learned is that just as the ill effects of smoking, it may take a decade before the visible effects of your cell phone use becomes apparent. By then it will be too late for many of our young people who were given cell phones at an early age, and have been bombarded by information-carrying radio waves for most of their lives.

It may help, however, if you begin to take notice of some of the earlier effects, rather than wait for brain cancer to appear before you begin taking precautions to limit your exposure.       

For example, these common illnesses and ailments have all been scientifically linked to cell phone information carrying radio waves: 

  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Sleep disruptions
  • Altered memory function, poor concentration and spatial awareness 
  • Alzheimer’s, senility and dementia
  • Parkinson’s
  • Autism

Why Can Your Cell Phone Ruin Your Sleep?

It’s important to understand that the danger from most land-based portable phones, cell phones and WiFi routers is NOT from the magnetic radiation or the microwave carrier wave, for which typical SAR ratings are given on phones.

This SAR rating indicates the thermal effect emitted by your phone, which is totally insignificant, unless you have massive exposures like you might expect in a microwave oven. This is why the discussion about lowering the allowable SAR is pointless, as it will NOT make cell phones safer.

Instead, nearly all your biological damage comes from the modulated signals that are carried ON the carrier microwave.

These modulated information-carrying radio waves resonate (vibrate) in the same frequencies as many of your cellular receptors; frequencies of a few to a few hundred cycles per second. These are biological frequencies and, unlike ionizing radiation (X-rays), which you can tolerate in small doses, there is NO dose of these radio waves that are safe. The cause damage at ANY dose, not matter how low.

It is an interesting concept but it is called zero threshold and that is precisely what we have with cell phones, most portable phones, and WiFi routers.

These information carrying radio waves can stimulate, or confuse your cellular receptors causing a whole cascade of pathological consequences that can culminate in fatigue, sleeplessness, anxiety, neurological decline, and ultimately cancers.

An Example of Serious Non-Thermal RF Damage  

Last year, an AT&T worker in Alaska spent two hours working on a cellular phone base station, which was accidentally left on. Once he got home a whole range of symptoms developed, from insomnia, to blood in his stool, to excruciating joint pain. 

To make a long story short, the man has set a precedent by winning a Workers’ Compensation claim for 100 percent disability due to his exposure. Granted, getting within 100 feet of a base station antenna will submit you to a much greater exposure of these information-carrying radio waves than what you experience talking on your cell phone. However, the point is that this was still a non-thermal radio wave exposure, which is claimed to be safe. 

How You Can Put Safety First 


Obviously a corded phone is not at all practical if you are in your car or out of your home so other things you can do to increase your level of safety include: 






  • Limit calls inside buildings. 

  • Use your cell phone in open spaces as often as possible. This is because there is a concept called a resonant cavity which exists in your car or in an airplane where these radio waves actually become trapped and bounce around  inside the structure thus creating very high levels that are many times higher than would be experienced had you been outdoors.

[+] Sources and References


Food Democracy Now
Mercury Free Dentistry
Fluoride Action Network
National Vaccine Information Center
Institute for Responsible Technology
Organic Consumers Association
Center for Nutrtion Advocacy
Cornucopia Institute
Vitamin D Council
Alliance for Natural Health USA
GrassrootsHealth - Vitamin D*action
American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation
The Rabies Challenge Fund
Cropped Catis Mexico