Heidi Danker-Hopfe1, Hans Dorn2, Thomas Bolz3, Anita Peter4, Marie-Luise Hansen5, Torsten Eggert6, Cornelia Sauter7. 1. Competence Center of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: heidi.danker-hopfe@charite.de. 2. Competence Center of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: hans.dorn@charite.de. 3. Institute of Mobile and Satellite communication Technology GmbH, Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Straße 2, 47475 Kamp-Lintfort, Germany. Electronic address: bolz@rf-frontend.de. 4. Competence Center of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: anita.peter@charite.de. 5. Competence Center of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: marie-luise.hansen@charite.de. 6. Competence Center of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: torsten.eggert@charite.de. 7. Competence Center of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: cornelia.sauter@charite.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Studies on effects of radio frequency-electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on the macrostructure of sleep so far yielded inconsistent results. This study investigated whether possible effects of RF-EMF exposure differ between individuals. OBJECTIVE: In a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled cross-over study possible effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by pulsed Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) 900 and Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (WCDMA/UMTS) devices on sleep were analysed. METHODS:Thirty healthy young men (range 18-30 years) were exposed three times per exposure condition while their sleep was recorded. Sleep was evaluated according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine standard and eight basic sleep variables were considered. RESULTS: Data analyses at the individual level indicate that RF-EMF effects are observed in 90% of the individuals and that all sleep variables are affected in at least four subjects. While sleep of participants was affected in various numbers, combinations of sleep variables and in different directions, showing improvements but also deteriorations, the only consistent finding was an increase of stage R sleep under GSM 900MHz exposure (9 of 30 subjects) as well as under WCDMA/UMTS exposure (10 of 30 subjects). CONCLUSIONS: The results underline that sleep of individuals can be affected differently. The observations found here may indicate an underlying thermal mechanism of RF-EMF on human REM sleep. Nevertheless, the effect of an increase in stage R sleep in one third of the individuals does not necessarily indicate a disturbance of sleep.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Studies on effects of radio frequency-electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on the macrostructure of sleep so far yielded inconsistent results. This study investigated whether possible effects of RF-EMF exposure differ between individuals. OBJECTIVE: In a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled cross-over study possible effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by pulsed Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) 900 and Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (WCDMA/UMTS) devices on sleep were analysed. METHODS: Thirty healthy young men (range 18-30 years) were exposed three times per exposure condition while their sleep was recorded. Sleep was evaluated according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine standard and eight basic sleep variables were considered. RESULTS: Data analyses at the individual level indicate that RF-EMF effects are observed in 90% of the individuals and that all sleep variables are affected in at least four subjects. While sleep of participants was affected in various numbers, combinations of sleep variables and in different directions, showing improvements but also deteriorations, the only consistent finding was an increase of stage R sleep under GSM 900MHz exposure (9 of 30 subjects) as well as under WCDMA/UMTS exposure (10 of 30 subjects). CONCLUSIONS: The results underline that sleep of individuals can be affected differently. The observations found here may indicate an underlying thermal mechanism of RF-EMF on human REM sleep. Nevertheless, the effect of an increase in stage R sleep in one third of the individuals does not necessarily indicate a disturbance of sleep.
Authors: Sarah P Loughran; Adam Verrender; Anna Dalecki; Catriona A Burdon; Kyoko Tagami; Joonhee Park; Nigel A S Taylor; Rodney J Croft Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-04-28 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Giorgio Tettamanti; Anssi Auvinen; Torbjörn Åkerstedt; Katja Kojo; Anders Ahlbom; Sirpa Heinävaara; Paul Elliott; Joachim Schüz; Isabelle Deltour; Hans Kromhout; Mireille B Toledano; Aslak Harbo Poulsen; Christoffer Johansen; Roel Vermeulen; Maria Feychting; Lena Hillert Journal: Environ Int Date: 2020-04-08 Impact factor: 9.621