Effects of evening exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by 3G mobile phones on health and night sleep EEG architecture

Abstract

Studies on sleep after exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields have shown mixed results. We investigated the effects of double‐blind radiofrequency exposure to 1,930–1,990 MHz, UMTS 3G signalling standard, time‐averaged 10 g specific absorption rate of 1.6 W kg−1 on self‐evaluated sleepiness and objective electroencephalogram architecture during sleep. Eighteen subjects aged 18–19 years underwent 3.0 hr of controlled exposure on two consecutive days 19:45–23:00 hours (including 15‐min break); active or sham prior to sleep, followed by full‐night 7.5 hr polysomnographic recordings in a sleep laboratory. In a cross‐over design, the procedure was repeated a week later with the second condition. The results for sleep electroencephalogram architecture showed no change after radiofrequency exposure in sleep stages compared with sham, but power spectrum analyses showed a reduction of activity within the slow spindle range (11.0–12.75 Hz). No differences were found for self‐evaluated health symptoms, performance on the Stroop colour word test during exposure or for sleep quality. These results confirm previous findings that radiofrequency post‐exposure in the evening has very little influence on electroencephalogram architecture but possible on spindle range activity.

Effects of Microwave Radiation on Human Brain: The Positives and Negatives

“…However, in the same study a reduction of sigma-1 power spectrum was observed which might have implications on long-term sleep quality. [44] Contradictory outcomes have been reported in literature owing to methodological limitations and hence no final conclusions can be drawn about the potential effect of microwaves on sleep. Brain deterioration and structural damage are two of the detrimental effects of MWR on the brain.…”

Effects of 2.45 GHz Wi‐Fi exposure on sleep‐dependent memory consolidation

“…Although the International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP, 2020) states that “Studies analyzing frequency components of the EEG have reliably shown that […] the 10–14 Hz ‘sleep spindle’ frequency range in sleep EEG, [is] affected by radiofrequency EMF exposure with specific energy absorption rates (SAR) <2 W/kg […]” (ICNIRP, Appendix B page 518), results are less consistent at a deeper level (SCENIHR, 2015). Although some studies did not find an effect on the EEG in the spindle frequency range during NREM sleep (Fritzer et al., 2007; Hinrichs et al., 2005; Lowden et al., 2019; Lustenberger et al., 2013, 2015; Mann & Röschke, 1996; Nakatani‐Enomoto et al., 2013; Wagner et al., 1998, 2000), other studies did report such an effect (Borbely et al., 1999; Huber et al., 2000, 2002; Loughran et al., 2005, 2012; Lowden et al., 2011; Regel et al., 2007; Schmid, Loughran, et al., 2012; Schmid, Murbach, et al., 2012). However, results are also quite heterogeneous with regard to the considered sleep stages (NREM, including and/or excluding stage S1/N1, stage S2/N2, and/or stage S3/S4/N3/slow‐wave sleep), the considered time window (e.g., first 30 min of NREM sleep, first hour of NREM sleep, second hour of NREM sleep, whole night, and different sleep cycles), timing of exposure (prior to sleep or during sleep), the definition of the spindle frequency range (which according to the standards of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine [AASM] is defined as the range from 12 to 14 Hz for the narrow sleep spindle frequency range and from 11 to 16 Hz for the wide sleep spindle frequency range (Berry et al., 2018)), and the direction of the effects (increase or decrease).…”

Association Between Mobile Phone Radiation Exposure and the Secretion of Melatonin and Cortisol, Two Markers of the Circadian System: A Review

“…A large number of reports then looked at the nonthermal effects of exposure to RF on cancer while others dealt with physiological functions [van Rongen et al, 2009;Ghosn et al, 2012Ghosn et al, , 2015, endocrine system, fertility, genotoxicity [Saliev et al, 2019;Vijayalaxmi and Prihoda, 2019], sleep [Danker-Hopfe et al, 2016;Lowden et al, 2019], etc. Many models have been used, ranging from cell cultures and in vivo effects of exposure on laboratory animals to clinical and epidemiological studies.…”