June sees the longest day of the year, and of course the shortest nights.  Many of us now understand the importance of a dark bedroom in order to sleep well and switch on production of the vital health-promoting hormone, melatonin.  What may not be known, however, is that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has in fact categorised ‘disruption by light at night’ as a “Class 2A probable carcinogen”. The benefits of using blackout blinds during the summer months, or if your bedroom is illuminated by street or other outside lighting, goes way beyond a good night’s sleep.

But light is just one element of the electromagnetic spectrum and melatonin production is also disrupted by exposure to other EMFs.  For example, use of a hairdryer after about 6pm all but switches off melatonin production for that night.  This is due to the very high electromagnetic fields associated with the motor.  Likewise, use of a computer, tablet, cordless or mobile phone etc. in the hour or so before you go to bed, can have the same effect.  If you have a DECT or mobile phone next to the bed, pulsing radiation into your bedroom, melatonin production will be severely disrupted.

Sleep disturbance is one of the most widely reported symptoms of electromagnetic sensitivity.  If you are experiencing sleep disturbance it makes sense to rule out electromagnetic pollution as a possible cause, alongside more mainstream investigations from a GP.  It is surely preferable to relocate devices and/or switch equipment off, than to resort to a course of sleeping pills.

Getting back a healthy balance of good quality sleep at night and energised activity during the day will have knock-on benefits to other areas of life.                         Is that bedtime ‘surf’ or night-time text really that important?