3 Reasons Sleeping With Gadgets Is Dangerous

Getting a new electronic gadget is exciting, but there’s a reason you shouldn’t be fanatical and sleep with it at night. Whether it’s a laptop, game console, smartphone, or an MP3 player, they don’t belong in your bed. Here are several reasons why:

1. You might text someone in your sleep

It sounds silly, but sleep texting happens. You wake up in the middle of the night, roll over and grab for your smartphone, and casually check Facebook. Still in a daze, you click on one of your contacts and send them a message that’s understandable only in your dream state.

If you’re lucky, it was a good friend who will understand. Otherwise, you’ll have some explaining to do.

If you keep phone numbers from people you have yet to contact, this is even more dangerous. Text the wrong person and they might consider it harassment.

2. Lithium-ion batteries can and do explode

There’s a reason researchers are developing a lithium-ion battery with the ability to self-extinguish a fire. These batteries are a big fire hazard, and it’s been known for some time.

Lithium-ion batteries are loved for their ability to quickly charge devices like tablets, laptops, and smartphones. If built improperly, it’s only a matter of time before they explode or catch fire, often causing third-degree burns in the process.

You may remember the girl who suffered third-degree burns when her Samsung Galaxy phone exploded in her pocket. Samsung wasn’t held liable since the battery was not an authentic Samsung battery. However, since then, plenty of authentic Samsung batteries have exploded with dire consequences.

Thanks to other cases of exploding Samsung smartphones, the company discovered their two battery manufacturers were taking shortcuts, leading to smoldering, exploding batteries.

It’s not just Samsung or any one device manufacturer. Between 2006 and 2010, Apple recalled thousands of MacBook Pro batteries (and again in 2013), and in 2014, Lenovo recalled 150,000 laptop batteries. These are just a few examples.

Let your devices sleep alone

If you’re like most people, you not only paid $700 (or more) for your smartphone, but your whole life is on your device. Between email and social media, it’s your connection with the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, plenty of people have experienced the danger of sleeping with a smartphone under their pillow. Others have experienced phones exploding in their pocket.

While charging, phones and other devices generate more heat and need room for air to circulate. These devices should never be covered while charging.

There is one device you can sleep with, however. In fact, it’s designed to accompany you to bed each night and give you a good night’s sleep. It’s called the Bedjet, and it’s a really “cool” gadget. This device gently blows climate-controlled air underneath your sheets so you can get a good night’s sleep.

3. Smartphones emit dangerous levels of EMFs

Sleeping next to your smartphone exposes you to EMF radiation. The harmful nature of EMFs is controversial; not because the science is questionable but because the profits of major corporations are at stake.

Josh Harkinson reported on a letter that was written to the World Health Organization and signed by people who collectively published over 2,000 peer-reviewed papers on the dangers of EMFs.

Part of the letter reads, “Based on peer-reviewed, published research, we have serious concerns regarding the ubiquitous and increasing exposure to EMF generated by electric and wireless devices. The various agencies setting safety standards have failed to impose sufficient guidelines to protect the general public.”

It’s easy to assume EMFs are harmless when you don’t personally feel the effects. However, plenty of people are sensitive to these frequencies and can feel like they’re being electrocuted inside of their bodies when exposed to wireless devices.

Hands-free technology like Bluetooth and wireless headsets aren’t the answer; they actually amplify the radiation.

Here’s more information on the effects of EMF radiation to help you understand the real danger.

Does an overheated device slow down performance?

Hopefully, your devices haven’t spontaneously combusted. Though, you’ve probably experienced your device overheating when charging or being used on an unventilated surface. It’s been said that an overheating device impacts performance. That’s one of the selling points made by companies producing laptop cooling platforms.

This study published by Digital Trends discovered that overheating laptops didn’t experience slow performance:

“Surprisingly, the laptops did not experience significant slowdown when placed on the sleeping bag. Performance was identical more often than not. None of the laptops crashed or turned off automatically, not even when we ran the 3DMark benchmark to engage both the processor and the graphics chip.”

Sleeping separately from your devices is purely for your own safety. Unless it explodes, your device can probably withstand the extra heat generated from being charged under normal conditions. Just make sure to keep it free and clear of flammable materials. If you want to be extra safe, charge it in a coffee can.

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