8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Whole Body / General

Tomitsch J, Dechant E et al, (January 2015) Exposure to electromagnetic fields in households--trends from 2006 to 2012, Bioelectromagnetics. 2015 Jan;36(1):77-85. doi: 10.1002/bem.21887

Bioeffects Seen

Authors not listed · 2015

Share:

Bedroom RF radiation nearly doubled from 2006 to 2012 as wireless technology proliferated in Austrian homes.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Austrian researchers measured electromagnetic field levels in 219 bedrooms from 2006 to 2012, tracking how household EMF exposure changed over time. They found that while power line frequencies decreased slightly, radiofrequency radiation from wireless devices nearly doubled. The study reveals how our bedroom EMF environment has shifted as we've adopted more wireless technology.

Why This Matters

This longitudinal study provides rare insight into how our daily EMF exposure has evolved alongside our technology adoption. The near-doubling of RF radiation levels in bedrooms over just six years reflects the rapid proliferation of WiFi networks, smartphones, and wireless devices in our homes. What's particularly concerning is that these measurements were taken in bedrooms, where we spend 7-8 hours nightly in close proximity to these fields during our body's most critical repair and recovery period. The urban-rural divide is also telling, with city dwellers experiencing more than three times the RF exposure of rural residents. This data captures a pivotal moment in our technological history when wireless connectivity became ubiquitous, fundamentally altering the electromagnetic environment where we sleep and recover.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz, 2600 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 Hz, 2600 MHzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (2015). Tomitsch J, Dechant E et al, (January 2015) Exposure to electromagnetic fields in households--trends from 2006 to 2012, Bioelectromagnetics. 2015 Jan;36(1):77-85. doi: 10.1002/bem.21887.
Show BibTeX
@article{tomitsch_j_dechant_e_et_al_january_2015_exposure_to_electromagnetic_fields_in_households_trends_from_2006_to_2012_bioelectromagnetics_2015_jan36177_85_doi_101002bem21887_ce1313,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Tomitsch J, Dechant E et al, (January 2015) Exposure to electromagnetic fields in households--trends from 2006 to 2012, Bioelectromagnetics. 2015 Jan;36(1):77-85. doi: 10.1002/bem.21887},
  year = {2015},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.21887},
  
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.21887PubMed: 25421708

Quick Questions About This Study

The study found that total radiofrequency radiation in bedrooms increased from 28.13 to 52.16 µW/m², nearly doubling over the six-year period. The largest increases came from UMTS mobile networks and WiFi (WLAN) sources.
Urban bedrooms showed significantly higher RF radiation exposure with a median of 117.73 µW/m² compared to rural areas at 34.52 µW/m². This represents more than three times higher exposure in cities versus countryside locations.
Yes, extremely low frequency electric fields actually decreased from 23.20 V/m in 2006 to 13.90 V/m in 2012. This suggests improvements in electrical wiring or changes in household electrical usage patterns during this period.
LTE signals in the 2600 MHz frequency range were detected at 17 bedroom locations, with a maximum exposure level of 38.20 µW/m². This represents early 4G network deployment reaching residential areas.
Indoor DECT cordless phone radiation actually decreased during the study period, while WiFi radiation increased. This likely reflects households replacing traditional cordless phones with wireless internet-connected devices and smartphones for communication.