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Sleep & Circadian Rhythm163 citations

Human sleep under the influence of pulsed radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: a polysomnographic study using standardized conditions.

No Effects Found

Wagner, P, Roschke, J, Mann, K, Hiller, W, Frank, C · 1998

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This study found no sleep disruption from cell phone-level EMF exposure, but researchers suggest effects may be dose-dependent.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

German researchers monitored the sleep patterns of 24 healthy men using brain wave measurements while exposing them to cell phone-like radiofrequency signals (900 MHz GSM signals). The study found no statistically significant changes in sleep quality, REM sleep duration, or brain wave patterns during EMF exposure. The researchers noted their failure to replicate previous findings might indicate that EMF effects on sleep depend on the specific exposure dose.

Why This Matters

This study represents an important attempt to replicate earlier findings suggesting cell phone radiation disrupts sleep patterns. The exposure level used (0.2 W/m²) is actually higher than typical cell phone use, making the negative results particularly noteworthy. However, the researchers' own conclusion points to a critical limitation in EMF research: dose-dependent effects. What this means for you is that the absence of effects at one exposure level doesn't necessarily rule out effects at different intensities or durations. The reality is that sleep disruption from EMF exposure remains an active area of investigation, with studies showing mixed results depending on exposure conditions and individual sensitivity.

Exposure Details

Power Density
0.02 mW/cm²
Source/Device
900 MHz, pulsed with a frequency of 217 Hz

Exposure Context

This study used 0.02 mW/cm² for radio frequency:

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: 0.02 mW/cm²Extreme Concern - 1,000 µW/m²FCC Limit - 10M µW/m²Effects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 50 times higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 217 Hz - 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 217 Hz - 900 MHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

To investigate the influence of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of cellular phone GSM signals on human sleep electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern

All-night polysomnographies of 24 healthy male subjects were recorded, both with and without exposur...

Suppression of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep as well as a sleep-inducing effect under field exposur...

The failure to confirm our previous results might be due to dose-dependent effects of the EMF on the human sleep profile.

Cite This Study
Wagner, P, Roschke, J, Mann, K, Hiller, W, Frank, C (1998). Human sleep under the influence of pulsed radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: a polysomnographic study using standardized conditions. Bioelectromagnetics 19(3):199-202, 1998.
Show BibTeX
@article{wagner_1998_human_sleep_under_the_3479,
  author = {Wagner and P and Roschke and J and Mann and K and Hiller and W and Frank and C},
  title = {Human sleep under the influence of pulsed radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: a polysomnographic study using standardized conditions.},
  year = {1998},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9554698/},
}
PubMed: 9554698

Cited By (163 papers)

View all 163 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

A 1998 German study found no statistically significant effects on REM sleep when 24 healthy men were exposed to 900 MHz GSM signals pulsed at 217 Hz. The researchers could not replicate previous findings suggesting RF radiation suppresses REM sleep phases.
German researchers used polysomnographic monitoring to measure brain wave patterns during 900 MHz EMF exposure in 24 men. Spectral power analysis revealed no alterations in EEG rhythms during radiofrequency exposure, suggesting no detectable neurological sleep changes.
The 1998 Wagner study failed to replicate previous EMF sleep findings, suggesting dose-dependent effects might explain inconsistent results. Researchers noted that EMF impacts on sleep may depend on specific exposure parameters like frequency, power, or duration.
A controlled study found no statistically significant sleep-inducing effects from 900 MHz radiation pulsed at 217 Hz. While some sleep-promoting trends were observed during EMF exposure, they did not reach the threshold for statistical significance.
The 1998 Wagner study emphasized using standardized conditions when testing 900 MHz EMF effects on sleep. Controlled laboratory conditions help ensure reproducible results, though this study still couldn't confirm previous findings about RF radiation and sleep disruption.