Are you not sleeping as soundly as you used to?

Perhaps you think it’s because you are worrying more these days, or simply getting older. You might have tried various remedies to improve your sleep. Maybe you don’t give it much thought at all, you just live with it.

However, the reason may be something you could easily resolve with the flip of a switch.

My own experience confirmed this.

A few years ago, I found myself suddenly waking up multiple times a night, and I wasn’t sleeping very soundly either. I set out to discover what it was.

What has changed, I asked myself?

Then I remembered. We had gotten a new modem-router installed after upgrading to fibre optics. It was much stronger than the old one, delivering a strong wifi signal to every corner of the house.

Could that be the culprit?

I experimented by turning it off at night. Immediately my sleep patterns went back to normal. I was able to sleep through the night again.

So how could a router affect sleep quality?

Routers work by emitting a signal that wireless technology uses to communicate. These signals are EMFs - electromagnetic frequencies not found in nature.

EMFs are invisible so we don’t think about them.

We don’t feel them and don’t notice them. But our bodies are picking up these signals and interpreting them. Our bodies are signal receptors, just as surely as our phones are.

It turns out that our brains interpret the signal of EMFs from wireless technology as light.

To our brain, light means “time to be awake”. The brain stops producing melatonin, the hormone that tells the body to go to sleep. Without sufficient melatonin, it’s harder to get to sleep and to stay asleep.

Exposure to EMFs has been shown to affect sleep, both in anecdotal reports and controlled studies.

Here is how:

Poor sleep quality and quantity

Exposure to EMFs reduces total sleep time. Measured brain waves indicate less time in deep and REM sleep, with more time spent in light sleep. Sleep is reported to be less restful.

Neurotransmitter effects

Neurotransmitters such as GABA, dopamine, and serotonin influence mood. Imbalances are associated with anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia. Neurotransmitter profiles are affected by EMFs.

Circadian rhythm disruption

Circadian rhythm is the body’s internal clock, shifting internal processes between daytime and nighttime mode, regulating sleep. Exposure to EMFs disrupts the circadian rhythm.

Reduced production of melatonin

Melatonin decreases with exposure to EMFs. It is thought that this is because EMFs are interpreted by the body as light, halting the production of melatonin, essential for sleep. This makes sense when you consider that EMFs are a spectrum of frequencies, which include light.

Effect on cells

Numerous studies show that EMFs have a negative effect on cell functioning including DNA damage and altered gene expression.

EMFs are harmful to human health.

They are especially harmful during sleep, when the body is engaged in rest and repair. EMFs reduce sleep quality and sleep quantity.

So, what can you do about it?

Here are a few simple solutions to protect your sleep from EMFs:

• Turn off your wifi at night

• Keep wifi technology out of your bedroom

• Don’t wear a sleep or fitness-tracking device to bed

If you are not sleeping as soundly as you used to, try these simple solutions.

See what happens.

Also read: Why You Should Get Rid of Your Sleep Tracking Device