I work on the Internet all day long and have not really ever considered the health implications of doing so. I have exercised caution with other electronics; for example, I am careful with my cellphone and I don’t have a microwave in the home. And yet, I have not ever thought that my WiFi could make me sick.
Health effects of WiFi
WiFi was introduced in 1997 — I remember this well. It is a technology that utilizes radio waves to provide network connectivity. Since it was first introduced, there have been numerous studies conducted that have demonstrated that this amazing innovation could actually be harming overall health — brain health in particular, especially in children. Here are the facts:
It may cause insomnia
If you have ever felt supercharged after using WiFi it’s because there is a chance that it may contribute to insomnia. A 2007 study found that low-frequency modulation from cell phones impacted sleep. People exposed to electromagnetic radiation had a difficult time falling asleep and there were also noticeable changes in brainwave patterns.
Researchers have found that sleeping near a phone, in a home with WiFI or in an apartment building with lots of WiFi signals could create a chronic sleep problem. This is due to the constant bombardment of WiFi pollution.
It may impact cellular growth
Some ninth-grade Danish kids were having trouble sleeping when their cell phones were by their heads, so they decided to conduct an experiment. They compared the growth rate of plants in a room with WiFi (with the same radiation as cell phones) versus a room without WiFi. They discovered that plants grown in the room with the radiation didn’t grow while the other plants did. This demonstrated the dangerous impact of WiFi on cellular growth.
It may reduce brain activity
Researchers have been investigating the impact of 4-G radiation on brain function. Using MRI technology, they found that people who are exposed to 4-G radiation had reduced brain activity.
It may neutralize sperm
If you are trying to get pregnant, you will really want to pay attention to this one. It is a known fact that heat generated by laptops kills sperm. Now, both human and animal research has shown that exposure to WiFi frequencies reduces the motility of sperm and also causes DNA fragmentation.
It may negatively impact your heart
Do you ever feel restless or like your heart is racing when you are around a WiFi connection? A study involving 69 participants found that there can be a real and negative physical response to electromagnetic frequencies. When surrounded by these frequencies, study participants experienced an increase in heart rate similar to that experienced when an individual is under stress.
It may contribute to cancer
Although there is a lot of controversy surrounding this claim, there are some facts that cannot be ignored. There are animal studies that show that exposure to electromagnetic radiation does increase tumor development. There is even a case study of a 21-year-old woman who developed breast cancer right where she carried her phone in her bra.
It may interfere with fertility
Here is another one that should be a concern for all women of childbearing age. A study showed that the frequencies emitted by WiFi could prevent egg implantation. In the study, mice were exposed to two hours a day of WiFi for 45 days. This increased oxidative stress and caused cellular damage. It negatively impacted DNA, suggesting that there is the possibility of abnormal pregnancy or failure of an egg to implant.
In addition, The Karolinska Institute located in Sweden released these warning in 2011:
- “Pregnant women are cautioned to avoid using wireless devices themselves and distance themselves from other users.”
- “Current U.S. [and Canada]…standards for radio frequency and microwave radiation from wireless technology are entirely inadequate.”
- “Safety standards also ignore the developing fetus.”
It may negatively impact childhood development
Non-thermal radio frequency radiation from WiFi and cellular phones can interfere with normal cellular development for a fetus. A 2004 study found exposure caused delayed kidney development. Another study in 2009 found that exposure caused severe disruption of protein synthesis:
“This cell property is especially pronounced in growing tissues, that is, in children and youth. Consequently, these population groups would be more susceptible than average to the described effects.”
So, it appears that WiFi exposure can be terribly dangerous for children, especially during the developmental stages.
What you can do
While it may seem impossible to limit your exposure to something so ubiquitous, there are some things you can do to protect your health. The most important thing to remember is to do your best to keep laptops, cellphones and tablets away from your body. When you are not using them, shut them off. Also, when you are done using your router, shut it off as well. Taking these extra steps to protect yourself is well worth the effort in light of commanding research on the dangers of electromagnetic frequencies. You can also purchase an EMF shield for your computer to help block the waves.
— Susan Patterson