Effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones (GSM 900 and WCDMA/UMTS) on the macrostructure of sleep.
Danker-Hopfe H, Dorn H, Bahr A, Anderer P, Sauter C. · 2010
View Original AbstractEight-hour cell phone radiation exposure at maximum power levels produced no meaningful sleep disruption in healthy adults.
Plain English Summary
German researchers exposed 30 healthy men to cell phone radiation during sleep for multiple nights. While some minor statistical differences in sleep patterns occurred, these changes were minimal and didn't indicate meaningful sleep disruption, suggesting current safety limits don't harm sleep quality.
Why This Matters
This well-designed study offers reassuring findings about one of the most common EMF concerns: whether cell phones disrupt sleep. The researchers used rigorous methodology, including double-blind, sham-controlled conditions and exposure levels at the maximum allowed SAR limit of 2.0 W/kg. What makes this particularly relevant is that most people sleep with phones nearby, often charging on nightstands just feet from their heads. The 8-hour continuous exposure in this study actually represents a more intense scenario than typical bedroom exposure from a phone in standby mode. While the researchers found 13 statistical differences out of 177 sleep variables measured for GSM exposure, they emphasized these were not clinically meaningful changes that would impact sleep quality. This aligns with the broader body of research showing that while EMF can produce measurable biological effects, many don't translate into health impacts at current exposure levels.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 2 W/kg
- Source/Device
- GSM 900
- Exposure Duration
- 9 study nights
Exposure Context
This study used 2 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 5x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
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 Details
In the present double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled cross-over study, possible effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) 900 and Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) cell-phones on the macrostructure of sleep were investigated in a laboratory environment.
An adaptation night, which served as screening night for sleep disorders and as an adjustment night ...
Thirteen of 177 variables characterizing the initiation and maintenance of sleep in the GSM 900 and ...
From the present results there is no evidence for a sleep-disturbing effect of GSM 900 and WCDMA exposure.
Show BibTeX
@article{h_2010_effects_of_electromagnetic_fields_921,
author = {Danker-Hopfe H and Dorn H and Bahr A and Anderer P and Sauter C.},
title = {Effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones (GSM 900 and WCDMA/UMTS) on the macrostructure of sleep.},
year = {2010},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20561179/},
}