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Brain & Nervous System287 citations

Pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic field affects human sleep and sleep electroencephalogram.

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Borbely, AA, Huber, R, Graf, T, Fuchs, B, Gallmann, E, Achermann, P · 1999

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Pulsed high-frequency EMF in the range of radiotelephones may promote sleep and modify the sleep EEG.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed healthy young subjects during an entire night-time sleep episode to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field at a maximum specific absorption rate of 1 W/kg. The exposure schedule consisted of alternating 15-min on-15-min off intervals. Compared with a control night with sham exposure, the amount of waking after sleep onset was reduced from 18 to 12 min, and EEG spectral power in non-rapid eye movement sleep was increased. The researchers concluded that pulsed high-frequency EMF in the range of radiotelephones may promote sleep and modify the sleep EEG.

Why This Matters

The study aimed to investigate whether the electromagnetic field emitted by digital radiotelephone handsets affects the brain. The largest EEG changes appeared in the 10-11 Hz and 13.5-14 Hz frequency bands during the initial part of sleep and then subsided. The authors used the word "may" in describing the effect, indicating the result was suggestive.

Exposure Details

SAR
1 W/kg
Source/Device
900 MHz
Exposure Duration
Alternating 15-min on-15-min off intervals

Exposure Context

This study used 1 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 1 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 2 times higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

To investigate whether the electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted by digital radiotelephone handsets affects the brain.

Healthy, young subjects were exposed during an entire night-time sleep episode to an intermittent ra...

Compared with a control night with sham exposure, the amount of waking after sleep onset was reduced...

The results demonstrate that pulsed high-frequency EMF in the range of radiotelephones may promote sleep and modify the sleep EEG.

Cite This Study
Borbely, AA, Huber, R, Graf, T, Fuchs, B, Gallmann, E, Achermann, P (1999). Pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic field affects human sleep and sleep electroencephalogram. Neurosci Lett 275(3):207-210, 1999.
Show BibTeX
@article{borbely_1999_pulsed_highfrequency_electromagnetic_field_869,
  author = {Borbely and AA and Huber and R and Graf and T and Fuchs and B and Gallmann and E and Achermann and P},
  title = {Pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic field affects human sleep and sleep electroencephalogram.},
  year = {1999},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10580711/},
}
PubMed: 10580711

Cited By (287 papers)

View all 287 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

The study used a 900 MHz pulsed electromagnetic field at a maximum specific absorption rate of 1 W/kg.
Waking after sleep onset was reduced from 18 to 12 min compared with the sham-exposure control night.
EEG spectral power in non-rapid eye movement sleep increased, with the largest rise in the 10-11 Hz and 13.5-14 Hz bands during the initial part of sleep.
The participants were healthy young subjects exposed during an entire night-time sleep episode.
The researchers concluded that pulsed high-frequency EMF in the range of radiotelephones may promote sleep and modify the sleep EEG.