Have you heard that EMFs (Electromagnetic Fields) can cause disturbed sleep?  Technology in modern life has brought with it many advantages, but could some of your essential gadgets be affecting your health through exposure to EMF?

 

How Much EMF Are You Exposed To?

 

Electro Magnetic Fields are created by the flow of electric currents and occur naturally in our environment, emitting from the earth’s magnetic field, the sun, stars and created in atmospheric events such as thunderstorms.

 

 

 

However, due to the huge technological developments in the last 100 years our exposure to EMF from unnatural man-made sources has increased enormously. As well as power cables and phone networks, nearly every electrical appliance and device we interact with creates its own electro magnetic field, the strength and intensity of which varies between devices.

 

 

Low-level radiation is emitted from many different sources but examples include cell phones, wireless and Wifi routers, computers, microwaves, Bluetooth devices, TV’s and even dimmer switches.

 

Why Might You Want To Limit EMFs?

 

Exposure to very high levels of EMF for short periods is undoubtedly harmful to health, think X-rays or sunburn! However, the low frequency levels of EMFs emitted from the many household appliances we live with in our day-to-day lives are not considered to be high.

 

However, the accumulation of so many sources of EMFs within the home has led to health concerns.

 

The concerns centre on the idea that over-exposure to EMFs can interfere with the electromagnetic systems in our bodies and that this can cause health problems.

 

 

It’s generally not disputed that EMFs created by electrical devices affect our biology but whether or not they are a health hazard is debated and the scientific community does not agree as to how much we should worry about this connection. There is some scientific evidence to link EMF exposure to childhood leukemia however there is more anecdotal evidence (and some studies) to support the idea that some people can be highly sensitive to low frequency EMFs.

 

 

Those that are sensitive to EMF exposure report problems with sleep disturbance, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, depression, brain fog, dizziness and vertigo, tiredness and fatigue, lack of concentration, nausea, frequent illnesses, skin burning and tingling and hormonal and adrenal imbalances.

 

Further research is definitely needed; however in the meantime there are many who believe that precautions should be taken to limit our exposure as much as possible.

 

Limiting EMF in Our Interior Design Projects

 

 

Some of our clients come to us because they’re highly sensitivity to EMFs, want to get more restful sleep and allay health concerns, in these cases we’ve worked to create EMF free zones within their homes.

 

 

Eliminating or hugely reducing exposure to EMF gives them peace of mind, particularly for those with babies and young children.

 

 

In one of our latest projects we have essentially created an EMF shielded box within the home, which included installing a stainless steel semi-transparent gauze mesh on the floor underneath the floorboards to guard from high frequency radiation (HF) and low frequency electric fields (LF).  

 

 

We also painted the walls and ceiling with black EMF paint before decorating. The paint provides protection from high frequency EMF from cell phone towers, TV and radio broadcasting antennas, radar and wireless networks.

 

 

Both the metal gauze and the shielding paint are grounded to the main circuit board to help shield from low frequency electric fields that are under or behind the shielding fabrics.

 

 

For safety a 2cm gap of paint was left around the electric sockets and lighting fixtures.

 

In the sleeping areas we avoided running power cables in the walls or floors near beds, in fact we ran the wiring for lighting around the bed so that it didn’t cross the head of the bed or any of the sleeping area. There are kill switches in the bedroom so that our clients can turn off all sources of electricity in the bedroom except for the air conditioning and air purifier during sleeping hours.

 

 

Where possible all items were wired in, for instance CCTV, speakers and their baby monitor. In addition, the home was tested for geopathic stress and we avoided placing the beds in areas that were not suitable for sleeping.

 

 

Special EMF reducing curtains and fabrics can also be used to shield from EMFs.

 

How Can You Limit EMFs In Your Own Home?

 

The effect EMF exposure will have on you really depends on your sensitivity, for some making changes will have no effect, for others they will see a huge difference.

 

 

Here are some tips so you can start limiting your EMF exposure at home, these should be particular to your bedroom at night when your body really needs a restorative sleeping environment as it does its essential repair work.

 

1. Don’t bring your phone into your bedroom at night.
2. Don’t plug anything in near your bed, for example mobile phones or alarm clocks. Remember the further away from the source of EMFs, the less effect it has on you.
3. Unplug all other devices in your bedroom for a deep restorative sleep.
4. No smart lights in the bedroom. Rather, use warm dim lights or different colors of LED strips to achieve circadian lighting schemes (link to blog)
5. Turn your Wifi off at night or at other times when it isn’t necessary or use a timer. Or use a timer that can turn it off during the most restorative times of the night. For example, between 1.30 and 5.30am.
6. Unplug Google home and Alexa at night or use a timer.
7. Don’t leave all your electricals on standby.
8. Use hard wire internet connections instead of Wifi, including Ethernet cables for laptops.
9. Wire in as many of your devices as possible and avoid using Bluetooth or Wifi for everything if you can.
10. Keep appliances off or on airplane mode as much as possible.
11. Keep electronic devices away from your body.

 

The added benefit of turning off all your devices is saving energy too!

 

 

My EMF & Digital Detox Experiment

 

Recently I conducted my own EMF home experiment to see if I could feel the difference! I began to sleep without WiFi, with all the power off except for the AC’s and refrigerator.

 

 

The first night felt slightly more calming, quiet and still. I woke up without my alarm and I feel slightly more rested. After a few nights I definitely saw the benefits, having calmer & deeper sleep & feeling more rested on waking. To test this out I’ve also found that I sleep much lighter near the router. I’ve also tried turning off the MCD and the sound of silence is wonderful as you don’t realize there’s a background hum and little lights going off everywhere all the time! Removing the sources of EMFs really did make our home feel calmer and more of a haven.

 

 

How about taking a digital detox and living without your gadgets?! Have you done an EMF detox? Did you feel any effects?

 

 

How Can You Find Out More?

 

Building biology is the art and science of studying structure, geography, electromagnetic fields, and air quality that make up the environment of our home or workplace. 

 

 

We worked with Building Biology Central Ltd on our most recent project illustrated above. They specialise in promoting health through reducing stresses in the living environment. They have specialized technicans who can conduct full surveys of your home and give professional recommendations and guide the building process to make sure EMF’s are reducded in the home. If you’d like to find out more please get in touch with us.

 

If you’d like to learn more about EMF this link to an overview by The World Health Organization is useful here.

 

If you are not doing a renovation from scratch then we suggest these plug in kill switches.  

 

Here are some other EMF protection products you may find interesting.

 

For those with babies, a wired baby monitor could be something to help reduce EMFs in your child’s bedroom.