Safer use of technologies
There are various types of electromagnetic radiation that are likely to be found in homes: radio frequencies, electric fields, magnetic fields and dirty electricity. These are all biologically active and generally cause similar health effects. Common health effects are insomnia, headaches, cardiac problems and ringing in the ears. There are many other less common health effects. There is not a lot of evidence that infra-red frequencies cause health problems.
One of the biggest concerns with technologies is wireless items which emit radio frequencies. Many of these items can be made safer to use, so that you won’t need to give up all your toys.
A good rule of thumb is to create as much distance as possible between you and the wireless technology. However, if you are sitting between two wireless technologies that are communicating with each other, eg paired Bluetooth devices, or computer and wireless printer, then distance won’t help you much.
It is most important to make the bedroom the safest room in the house, as your body uses sleep time to recover from all the assaults on it.
Mobile phones
It is best to turn off all wireless functions on your mobile phone if you are not currently using it. This might necessitate turning off a number of separate wireless functions. Airplane mode doesn’t necessarily turn off all wireless functions, and silent mode certainly achieves little.
Try not to carry or use your phone close to your body. Bras are not mobile phone pockets. If you can carry your phone in a bag or brief case, that is better. You can also purchase a shielded pouch for carrying your phone. However, you need to exercise caution when shielding your mobile phone. If your phone is still able to receive phone calls, then that means that the shielding is not 100% effective and may, in fact, be making matters worse, as the phone is emitting higher levels of radio frequencies in order to function.
When talking on your phone, hold your phone as far from your body as possible. Air tube earphones are a safer option than corded or blue tooth earphones. Texting is safer than phone calls.
Leave your mobile phone out of the bedroom, unless you can turn off all wireless functions. Do not recharge your phone in the bedroom.
Cordless phones
Cordless phones are worse than mobile phones because the phone and especially its base station are transmitting all the time. Consider using a corded phone instead.
Wi-Fi
Being exposed to wi-fi 24/7 is not good for your body and spending time near the modem/router is inadvisable. Turn off the wi-fi function or the modem on your home wi-fi unit overnight. You can put the modem on a timer so that it turns itself off at bedtime.
NBN
Some of the equipment used in the National Broadband Network emits radio frequencies constantly. This differs with carrier and equipment. It’s difficult to provide comprehensive advice here, so you will need to research options and not every telecommunications worker is going to understand this issue.
Tablets
It is possible to hardwire ipads and mobile phones to the internet using ethernet cable. Search online for instructions and accessories required. Note, a powered USB hub probably will not be necessary; the recharger for your device should suffice.
Computers
Use a wired keyboard and mouse. Disable wi-fi if possible and use ethernet cable. Also disable Bluetooth. Be careful of printers, as these are generally all wi-fi enabled. Finding how to disable the wi-fi is not always straight-forward. Also, you might need to purchase the cable to connect it to your computer as an optional extra.
And that laptop computer does not belong on your lap, especially if it has wireless functions enabled. Place it on a table.
Wireless baby monitors
Baby’s skulls are thinner than adults’ skulls. Plus, the fontanelles are not fully closed until about 18 months of age. So, radio frequencies have a super highway into a baby’s brain. Placing a wireless baby monitor close to the baby’s crib while the baby is sleeping exacerbates these concerns. Use a wired baby monitor.
Mobile phone masts
Try to avoid spending time near mobile phone masts and similar equipment. Be aware that 5G small cell antennae are coming soon and these are like small boxes installed on light poles approx. every 20 houses or less. Discovering one of these installed near your home will not be your best experience.
Bluetooth
It’s getting increasingly difficult to buy speakers, etc that are not Bluetooth enabled. Try to buy cabled speakers, etc. You may need to search out second-hand items. Also, turn off the Bluetooth function on devices so that they are not searching for something to pair with. Bluetooth earphones transport radio frequencies directly into your brain, so use air tube earphones instead.
Security systems
Most security systems are wireless. It is possible to buy wired systems and get them installed, but the costs and convenience will likely be substantially different.
Doorbells
Most doorbells are wireless and it is difficult to obtain wired doorbells. It is likely that EMR is emitted only when the doorbell button is pressed. Likewise, kinetic doorbells emit a high magnetic field at the ringer unit only when the doorbell button is pressed. Try to plug in the bell unit where it will not be close to where people spend a lot of time.
Smart meters
If you do not yet have an electricity smart meter or smart water meter, do your best to avoid having one installed on your home. If you do have one, depending on the state you live in, you may be able to get your utility company to disable the wireless transmissions. However, avoidance altogether is the better option, since these new style of electricity meters also create dirty electricity, which will travel on all your household wiring, and have similar health impacts to the radio frequencies. Avoid spending long periods of time near the meter, especially sleeping. If your bedhead is on the other side of the wall from a smart meter (or even the old style of analogue electricity meter which emits high magnetic fields), consider relocating the bed or sleeping in another room. You also can shield the radio frequencies using special paint or inexpensive metal flyscreen.
Do not purchase/accept any wireless devices that are used in conjunction with the smart meter in order to monitor consumption.
Home appliances
Be wary of home appliances that emit radio frequencies. If it claims to be ‘smart’ it probably isn’t so smart for you to be near it. If you have smart appliances, search online for how to turn off the wireless frequencies or phone the manufacturer. Many TVs and new fridges emit radio frequencies. Probably the most obvious appliance of concern is the microwave oven. Limit your use of it, avoid standing in front of it while it is operating and create as much distance between it while operating and humans and animals. They leak microwave energy on all sides, but more so through the door.
Voice activated home assistants are constantly emitting EMR while awaiting instructions from you and many of them have the added concern of privacy and security issues.
That innocent looking lightbulb may not be so innocent, after all. The government has removed our options of safe lightbulbs. You may be able to track down the safer incandescent or halogen light bulbs online. A low wattage LED bulb may be better than a CFL, which has the added problem of containing mercury, which is not good for the environment, or your home if broken. As for the light bulbs that do everything except brew your coffee, need I say anymore?
If you are building a new home avoid two-way light switches and dimmer switches.
Power adaptors
Power adaptors, commonly used on rechargers and small energy efficient appliances, emit EMR, even when the appliance is not turned on. Turn these off at the wall and remove the plug, if possible, when not being used. Try not to use these items close to where you are spending time.
Final words
Sometimes, in an effort to shield radio frequencies and other sources of electromagnetic radiation, we can make matters worse. If you want to get serious about shielding or searching out EMR in the home and other environments, you would be wise to purchase an inexpensive EMR meter, such as the Cornet from Radmeters. You can buy this directly from the company (and no, I have no financial ties to Radmeters). One of the cheaper models will suffice. If introducing shielding to your home, you can use the EMR meter to measure before and after, to see if you have made matters worse or better. An EMR meter will also help you to figure out from which direction the worst levels of EMR are entering your home.