Your Cell Phone May Be What's Keeping You Up at Night

There are certain things you don't do right before your bedtime like eat too much, drink coffee, or watch TV, but if you really want a good night’s rest, you should also avoid chatting on your cell phone before going to bed. A study by Wayne State University and Sweden's Karolinska Institute found that radiation from your handset can cause insomnia, headaches, and prevent you from going into a deep sleep.

To test their theory, researchers enlisted a group of 71 brave men and women and exposed half of them to radiation equivalent to that received when using a mobile phone. Those exposed to radiation spent less time in the much needed deep sleep cycle our body needs to rejuvenate and repair itself. This leads researchers to believe radiation disrupts the body's ability to produce melatonin, and activates the brain's stress system, making your more alert throughout the night.

Sleeping problems can lead to depression, lack of concentration, and mood swings, so to be safe, researchers recommend you avoid talking on a cell phone at least one hour before going to bed. They also suggest you use a land line instead of mobile phone at night, and keep that cell phone out of your bedroom!

Mobiles linked to disturbed sleep (BBC)