Using your cell phone as an alarm clock has become very popular in recent years, but there are a few reasons why using the alarm feature to wake you up should be avoided. The most important reason is the health risks associated with radiation emitted by your phone. Other reasons include the possibility of being woken by calls and texts and the likelihood of leaving your phone in your purse, pocket or car. It is also easy to set your cell phone alarm for p.m. instead of a.m. or accidentally turn the alarm off when you are
using the phone’s other functions.
Health Risks
Scientists are still researching the link between cell phones and health risks such as cancer, but they are aware that cell phones emit radiation that is probably harmful to our health. The World Health Organization has given mobile phone radiation a Group 2B rating on the IARC scale, meaning that it could possibly cause cancer. Cell phone use hasn’t been banned outright anywhere in the world, but some leaders are making strong recommendations against the use of mobile phones. Mobile phones emit radiation whenever they are turned on, even when you are not actively talking, texting or playing games.
Sleeping with your phone within arm’s reach is not recommended because it poses unnecessary risks to your health. It is also recommended for people to use headsets instead of holding the phone next to their ears and avoid storing their phone in their pocket. It is especially important for children to avoid using a cell phone as an alarm clock because their skulls are thinner than adult skulls, so their bodies are more susceptible to damage from radiation.
Late Night Calls and Texts
It is best to keep your phone turned off at night so that you are not awakened by late-night calls and texts. Even if you tell friends and family what time you go to bed, they will probably still call occasionally and wake you up. You may even get telemarketers or wrong numbers calling at odd hours, especially if you don’t keep traditional hours. Many people have trouble falling asleep again after they have been awakened, and it affects the way their body and mind perform the next day.
It is also common for people to have their cell phones set to make noise when emails come through or someone posts on their social media site. This is a very handy feature if you are waiting for a message and get tired of checking repeatedly, but it is not so handy when you get unwanted emails at three in the morning. All of this beeping during the night can make it very difficult to get a restful night’s sleep. Your alarm clock may seem useless when your cell phone can perform essentially the same task, but using a regular alarm clock helps you avoid sleep interruptions from texts, emails, calls and social media posts.
Forgetting Your Phone
It’s great that cell phones are so portable that you can take them with you anywhere, but it also means that you may forget your phone in your car, purse or pocket. Most people are really tired by the time they are going to bed and they may forget that their phone isn’t near the bed. Having the alarm on your phone set doesn’t help you if it is so far away that you no longer hear it. Even if you remember that you left your phone in your car as you are getting in bed, you will probably not want to go out to the car and get it.
Another bad thing about cell phones being so portable is that other people can easily take them without your knowledge. You may have gone to bed with the alarm set properly and your phone next to your bed, but your spouse, roommate or child may put your phone somewhere else during the night without your permission.
Setting the Alarm for the Wrong Time
It is easy to mistake the a.m. and p.m. settings on your phone if you are not paying close attention while setting the time. It’s an awful feeling to wake up at 8 a.m. and realize that you missed your 7 a.m. meeting because you accidentally set your alarm for 7 p.m. instead of 7 a.m. You can tell immediately if you set your regular alarm clock for a.m. or p.m. because you will be able to see it on the display. Most cell phones don’t make it easy to see whether the time you have set the alarm for is a.m. or p.m. The alarm may be difficult to turn off and most cell phone alarms don’t have snooze buttons.
The link between cell phone use and cancer is being studied by scientists around the world. Using your cell phone as your alarm may be very convenient, but the convenience is outweighed by the health risks as well as the potential for being awakened multiple times during the night by texts and calls. A traditional alarm clock provides the same service that a cell phone alarm clock provides, plus it is always next to the bed and only wakes you up at the designated time.
About the Author
This article was written on behalf of OnlineClock.net the creators of the world’s most popular online alarm clock application. Online Clock wants you to try using their alarm clock for waking yourself up: it’s free, and there is nothing to download or install on your computer.