Akin Ibitoye, a technology advisor at TMB Tech, has cautioned Nigerians about the health and psychological risks associated with sleeping near or with mobile devices.
Speaking on Channels Television’s “The Morning Brief” on Monday, Ibitoye explained that keeping phones beside the bed or under pillows can disrupt sleep and carries the danger of explosions from overheating lithium-ion batteries.
“Do not sleep with your gadget under your pillow. When you sleep with your devices under your pillow, it actually affects you. You don’t know,” he warned.
Addressing the argument that phones are needed for work or emergencies, Ibitoye suggested, “Unless it’s absolutely tied to your work, you can do without your phone.”
He also highlighted the physical dangers of overheating and potential fires, referencing past incidents of phone batteries exploding due to heat buildup, especially when covered.
“These batteries, lithium-ion batteries, you notice they don’t allow them on aeroplanes for good reasons. This tiny marvel of technology can explode at any time. If you keep your phone under your pillow, your phone actually gets heated up,” he stated.
Furthermore, Ibitoye explained that “These gadgets disrupt our circadian rhythm. That’s how, when it’s dark, your body gets the signal it needs to sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, there are quite a number of things that even medical practitioners have said could result negatively back to your body.”
He also mentioned the issue of “doomscrolling,” where users intend to check their phones briefly but end up spending extended periods online.
To mitigate these risks, Ibitoye urged Nigerians to return to using alarm clocks instead of their phones, noting that “Before mobile phones, we had alarm clocks. The alarm clock would only sound when the time is right,” and pointing out that phones cause unnecessary nighttime distractions with notifications.
Regarding radiation, Ibitoye said that phones can still emit and receive signals even when they appear to be off. “These electromagnetic devices being so close actually affect the electrical signals in our brain,” he explained, advising frequent users to use wired or wireless earphones and keep phones away from their heads.
For those in confined spaces or unable to turn off their phones, Ibitoye recommended using aeroplane mode at night. “If you cannot afford to switch it off, put it in aeroplane mode. No call will come in, no SMS, no notification, but your alarm will still go off.”
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