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Surge in Phone Addiction Searches Prompts Warnings on Sleeping With Devices

Experts urge bedtime changes after a 5000% jump in searches on how to handle phone addiction.

Overview

  • Studies cited put smartphone addiction at roughly 25% globally, with 71% sleeping next to their phones and 74% charging them in bedrooms.
  • Sleep specialists warn that notifications and vibrations trigger micro‑arousals and blue light suppresses melatonin, cutting REM and deep sleep.
  • Safety concerns include overheating and fire risks, with one survey finding 11% charge phones under pillows and cautions over unofficial chargers that may flout standards.
  • Reports highlight hygiene hazards, noting phones can carry heavy microbial loads that transfer from bathrooms and public transport into beds.
  • An NHS GP says phone radiofrequency is non‑ionising and large epidemiologic studies do not show a clear cancer link, while advising distance from the bed, Do Not Disturb, and avoiding overnight charging.