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Inter‐individual and intra‐individual variation of the effects of pulsed RF EMF exposure on the human sleep EEG

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Lustenberger, C., Murbach, M., Tüshaus, L., Wehrle, F., Kuster, N., Achermann, P. and Huber, R. · 2015

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Cell phone radiation alters brain wave patterns during sleep at typical usage levels, with effects varying significantly between individuals.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed 20 young men to cell phone-level radiation (900 MHz) for 30 minutes before sleep on two separate occasions, then monitored their brain waves throughout the night. They found that RF exposure increased delta-theta brain wave activity in the frontal-central regions during deep sleep, but these effects varied significantly between individuals and weren't consistent when the same person was tested twice.

Why This Matters

This research reveals something crucial that the wireless industry rarely discusses: radiofrequency radiation demonstrably alters brain activity during sleep at exposure levels typical of cell phone use (2 W/kg SAR). The science demonstrates that even brief 30-minute exposures can change brain wave patterns throughout an entire night of sleep, specifically increasing delta-theta activity in regions critical for cognitive function. What makes this study particularly significant is its real-world relevance - the 900 MHz frequency and 2 W/kg exposure level mirror what millions experience daily from their mobile devices. The finding that individuals respond differently to RF exposure suggests some people may be more vulnerable to these neurological effects than others, which has profound implications for public health policy that currently treats everyone as equally resistant to EMF effects.

Exposure Details

SAR
2 W/kg
Source/Device
900 MHz
Exposure Duration
30 min

Exposure Context

This study used 2 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 ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 2 W/kgExtreme Concern0.1 W/kgFCC Limit1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 1x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

Our study aimed to investigate inter‐individual variation and intra‐individual stability of field effects.

To do so, we exposed 20 young male subjects twice for 30 min prior to sleep to the same amplitude mo...

The topographical analysis of EEG power during all‐night non‐rapid eye movement sleep revealed: (1) ...

Cite This Study
Lustenberger, C., Murbach, M., Tüshaus, L., Wehrle, F., Kuster, N., Achermann, P. and Huber, R. (2015). Inter‐individual and intra‐individual variation of the effects of pulsed RF EMF exposure on the human sleep EEG Bioelectromagnetics. 36(3) 169, 2015.
Show BibTeX
@article{lustenberger_2015_interindividual_and_intraindividual_variation_134,
  author = {Lustenberger and C. and Murbach and M. and Tüshaus and L. and Wehrle and F. and Kuster and N. and Achermann and P. and Huber and R.},
  title = {Inter‐individual and intra‐individual variation of the effects of pulsed RF EMF exposure on the human sleep EEG},
  year = {2015},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.21893},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.21893},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed 20 young men to cell phone-level radiation (900 MHz) for 30 minutes before sleep on two separate occasions, then monitored their brain waves throughout the night. They found that RF exposure increased delta-theta brain wave activity in the frontal-central regions during deep sleep, but these effects varied significantly between individuals and weren't consistent when the same person was tested twice.