Most people in India scroll on their mobile phones before sleeping or keep the phone near their pillow. This habit has become common, but can it affect their health? Dr. Myro Figura, an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles, California, has warned about this in an Instagram post. Let’s share what they said and whether it really increases the risk of cancer.
Can it really cause cancer?
Can mobile phones really affect your health? Dr. Figura says it’s not a good idea to hold your phone near your head while you sleep. He says, “If you sleep with your phone too close to your head, you should change this habit. Phones emit radiation even when you are not using them. This can impair sleep quality, cause headaches, and in the long run can increase the risk of cancer.”
non-ionizing radiation
Regarding radiation, they clarify that the radiation emitted from mobile phones is “non-ionizing radiation”. It does not directly damage DNA like ionizing radiation, such as sunlight, medical imaging, or radioactive sources. But, it still comes under the category of radiation. That’s why the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified it as “probably carcinogenic to humans”, in the same category as coffee and pickles.
Dr. Figura also points out that the risks are not limited to radiation alone. Phones can sometimes overheat while charging, and there have been incidents of fire. Keeping the phone too close to the bed while sleeping is also considered unsafe. His simple suggestion is to keep your phone away from the bed, preferably on the other side of the room. This can not only improve sleep but also reduce potential long-term health risks.
What do other experts say?
Dr. Arundhati De, consultant in radiation oncology at Apollo Cancer Centre, Kolkata, says that till now no concrete scientific evidence has been found to prove that the radiofrequency waves emitted from mobile phones cause brain tumors or cancer. She says clearly, “It has not yet been proven that radiofrequency waves emitted from mobile phones cause brain tumors or cancer.” Large-scale studies are being conducted around the world on long-term mobile phone use, but current data does not suggest that simply sleeping with the phone near your head increases the risk of cancer.
According to doctors, its biggest impact is on sleep. Nowadays smartphones emit constant lights, notifications, alerts, vibrations and screen flashes. The brain continues to register these signals even if you don’t respond to them. That’s why keeping the phone nearby can affect the quality of sleep.
