Most homes now hardly lack a wireless router. With everything we do daily that requires the internet, it seems impossible not to. Additionally, these routers are often placed in locations where we can get the maximum signal, like close to our bedrooms or, for some, inside their bedrooms (maybe you’re binge-watching Netflix series all night! In this article, we will see about ‘Is It Safe To Sleep Near A Wireless Router?’.
Is It Safe To Sleep Near A Wireless Router?
In this article, we will discuss whether it is safe to sleep near a wireless router and what precautions to take.
How does a wireless router work?
A Wireless router is a piece of hardware that connects computers and other smart devices to networks without requiring that the devices run cables. So, with a wireless router, you can share an internet connection with several other users without having to pay subscription fees for each user.
Wireless routers use wifi, a radio frequency that transmits information wirelessly, eliminating the need for a cable. Every smart device, laptops, desktops, phone, tablet, TV, even Alexa, and your smart light, window, or thermostat all communicate with wifi.
These radio frequencies radiated by wireless routers or devices fall into the electromagnetic spectrum. This is significant since EMFs have been associated with negative health effects, even at low but prolonged concentrations.
Is keeping a wireless router in your bedroom safe?
The simple answer is no. Keeping a wireless router in your bedroom is generally not safe. The nearby router will subject you to harmful levels of EMF and RF radiation. Additionally, being exposed to EMF radiation at night might ruin your health.
Health implications of EMF radiation exposure
Independent research has linked EMF radiation to a wide range of health problems, including:
- Interruption of cell metabolism: this increases your risk of getting certain cancers
- Sleep disruption: Alterations in melatonin are a typical consequence of chronic wifi exposure, which can also impair sleep. Those EMF waves coming off our wireless routers can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to cell damage and impaired cellular repair.
- Tinnitus: also known as ringing in the ears. Tinnitus is when someone hears a consistent sound without an external sound. This is common in people with electro-hypersensitivity (EHS).
- Reduction of cell count: this is another common side effect of constant exposure to wifi signals. It has even caused motility in some.
- Brain Fog: This refers to occasional lapses in memory or trouble remembering things you usually wouldn’t struggle with. According to reports, an increasing number of scientists think that rising EMF radiation exposure may be partially to blame for the recent spike in Alzheimer’s cases.
Is it ok to snooze next to a wireless router?
In the end, being close to a wireless network is unsafe. According to the inverse square law of physics, a given physical quantity is inversely proportional to the square of its distance from its source. Simply stated, the farther you are from a source of energy, the more negligible effect the energy has on you. This is a compelling reason for locating your router as far from your bedroom as you can. But what of my binge-watching plans on Netflix, you may ask, there are ways around that, and we will get to it very soon.
Ways to reduce wifi exposure
Now back to those plans you have with Netflix. So before you go and dump your router and jump back to the suitable old reliable 56k modem, here are a few solutions to reduce wifi exposure from your wireless router:
- Turn off your wifi at night: this is an excellent solution except, of course, you need to work at night or you’ve set a date with Netflix. By doing this, you may limit the wireless router’s exposure and lessen the risk of exposure from other gadgets in your house, like Alexa or your beloved smartphone.
- Use a high-quality wifi router guard: a wireless router guard is a small cage where you place your routers to limit the amount of exposure. Ideally, they reduce the exposure to around 90% while having only a slight reduction in the wifi range and zero reduction in speed, so you don’t have to be scared of the internet going slo-mo on you. And what’s more, you can finally binge those late-night movies!
- Follow the inverse square law and simply move your router: Just relocating your router a few spaces away or keeping it out of the bedrooms can have a significant effect.
You can try switching to a hard-wired connection with Ethernet cables.
Conclusion
Now we have learnt ‘Is It Safe To Sleep Near A Wireless Router?’, Even if you don’t transition to Ethernet cables or those 56k modems, it is essential to do what you can to mitigate EMF exposure from your wireless router. The good news is that doing that isn’t too hard at all. With the tips and guidelines in this article, you should be on your way to sleep like a baby, unbothered by any EMF radiation.
Frequently asked questions
- How far away from a wireless router is safe?
Your body will benefit from a distance of 40 feet or, preferably, 10 feet at a minimum, which won’t significantly affect your wifi connection.
- How far is too far from a wireless router?
About 100 meters. Any more than that will severely impact your internet connection.
