National Association for Children and Safe Technology
Back to Health Impacts
Back to Health Impacts
iPad Insomnia:  
Light from Electronic Screens at Night Linked to Sleep Loss
Behavioral Sleep Problems and their Potential Impact on Developing Executive Function in Children
The Arrogance of Ignoring the Need for Sleep
NPR Article on Brain Research
Some Research to Consider
"Mobile phone radiation
wrecks your sleep"
Lets Talk About Sleep
Wireless radiation has been shown to change our sleep patterns.


A sleep-deprived child cannot focus their attention as well as a child who has had a good night's sleep.

The quality of our sleep has a profound impact on learning and memory and is essential for retaining new information.
"Last month the American Medical Association issued a policy recognizing "that exposure to excessive light at night, including extended use of various electronic media, can disrupt sleep or exacerbate sleep disorders, especially in children and adolescents."





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Prof. Andrew Loudon, from the University of Manchester, said:

"The problems caused by living against the body clock may be less sexy than the countless 'this or that causes cancer stories' it is none-the-less a major problem for society."

"You might not notice any short-term changes in your health following circadian disruption, but over a long period of time, the consequences could be quite severe."


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 "Studies have shown a
relationship between sleep problems and child psychosocial problems like attention, hyperactivity, oppositional and aggressive behaviour, mood problems and anxiety."







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   WHAT CAN I DO? 


  • Clear bedrooms free of ALL screens
  • Stop using screens at least an hour before bedtime
  • Power off all wireless devices at night in your home
  • Use battery powered alarm clocks because electric clocks emit high electric fields also shown to impact melatonin.
  • Decrease the radiation in your home by following the easy steps in our Creating a Safe  Home Page.
  • Wireless radiation has been shown to delay entrance into deep non-REM sleep and decrease time spent in certain sleep stages.  The blue light from screens has  been shown to disrupt sleep cycles.
  • Studies have shown that wireless radiation inhibits the production of a hormone called melatonin.  Melatonin is secreted in the pineal gland in the brain.  One of its primary functions is to regulate our sleep cycle.  When inadequate amounts of melatonin are produced, our sleep cycle is compromised.
  •  New research is showing that sleep is important in the development of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. 
  • Studies have shown a relationship between sleep problems and child psychosocial problems like attention, hyperactivity, oppositional and aggressive behaviour, mood problems and anxiety.


Children Need Their Rest:  Let's Support Healthy Sleep


Lustenberger C et al., Stimulation of the brain with radiofrequency electromagnetic field pulses affects sleep-dependent performance improvement. Brain Stimul. 2013 Sep;6(5):805-11. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2013.01.017. Epub 2013 Feb 24.
  • "Under exposure, sleep-dependent performance improvement in the motor task was reduced compared to the sham exposure condition.  The study showed that a radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure may directly affect ongoing brain activity during sleep, and as a consequence alter sleep-dependent performance improvement."


Bengt  et al., The Effects of 884 MHz GSM Wireless Communication Signals on Self-reported Symptom and Sleep (EEG)- An Experimental Provocation Study PIERS Online Vol. 3 No. 7 2007 pp: 1148-1150
  • A prolonged latency to reach the first cycle of deep sleep (stage 3). The amount of stage 4 sleep was also decreased in exposed subjects.  Subjects reported more headaches during exposures vs. sham exposure.

Schmid et al, Sleep EEG alterations: effects of different pulse-modulated radio frequency electromagnetic fields.Sleep Res. 2012 Feb;21(1):50-8.  Apr 12.
  • “Consistent with previous findings, our results provide further evidence that pulse-modulated RF EMF alter brain physiology."

K. Mann and J. Röschke, "Effects of Pulsed High-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Human Sleep," Neuropsychobiology 33:41-47, 1996
  • Shortening of sleep onset latency and a REM (Rapid Eye Movement) suppressive effect with reduction of duration and percentage of REM sleep.  “The effects observed possibly could be associated with alterations of memory and learning functions."

Regel Set al. Pulsed radio-frequency electromagnetic fields: dose-dependent effects on sleep, the sleep EEG and cognitive performance. J Sleep Res. 2007 Sep;16(3):253-8.
  • Showed a dose-response relationship between EMF field intensity and its effects on brain physiology as demonstrated by changes in the sleep EEG and in cognitive performance.
Radiation from mobile phones delays and reduces sleep, and causes headaches and confusion, according to a new study.


There is "more than sufficient evidence" to show that the radiation "affects deep sleep."


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"While the brain sleeps, it clears out harmful toxins, a process that may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, researchers say."


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