A wireless charger allows you to charge your cell phone from anywhere without having to connect a cable or wires to a power outlet on the wall or a power bar. Sometimes you may want to charge your phone by placing it on a wireless charger on your nightstand while you sleep. For example, maybe you are using your phone as a morning alarm, and you are worried your phone might go dead overnight. When you do this though, you might wonder, “is it safe to sleep next to a wireless charger?”
Wireless chargers emit dangerous EMF radiation. Even when not connected to your phone or tablet, it emits signals while searching for the wireless receiver coil found on smartphones. The wireless receiver coil in your smartphone has to be in contact with the coil on the charging base to charge the phone. The signals it emits as it searches for a wireless receiver coil can be very harmful. Therefore, sleeping next to the wireless charger may be very dangerous to your health.
However, when the wireless charger is in contact with the charging coil on your phone, it channels all the radiation to the receiver coil. As a result, there will be less radiation emitted by the wireless charger while charging.
The wireless charger uses electromagnetic induction to transfer power between two devices; the charging station and the receiver coil. The charging station has a transmitter coil for connecting to the receiver coil in your smartphone or tablet.
How Charging Works
When the phone’s receiver coil is in contact with the transmitter coil, then a magnetic field is generated by the charging station. As a result, it intercepts the electric current and uses that current in order to charge the lithium battery inside your phone. This process will continue until your phone is fully charged up.
Wireless chargers can only transmit magnetic fields within a very short range. Therefore, the phone must be placed directly adjacent to the transmitter coil in order to charge your phone.
The EMF radiation emitted by wireless chargers is reduced as the distance increases. So, maintaining distance from the charger reduces the impact of EMF radiation on your body. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to sleep next to the wireless charger when it is not charging something. That being said, sleeping next to your phone while charging it is also out of question. It is still emitting EMF radiation, and there have been a few cases where the phone exploded while charging.
When your phone is connected to a wireless charger, you may not be able to operate it as you would when it is plugged into a cable. Since the wireless charger requires the phone to touch the transmitter coil in the charger, it is not really possible to use your phone, especially if you have to pick it up to use it. If you try to use it while it is sitting on the charger, there will be high exposure to EMF radiation at a close distance while the phone is charging.
There are various health concerns for sleeping next to your wireless charger due to the electromagnetic field emitted. Using low-quality wireless chargers may result in high levels of radiation that increase health risks like anxiety, insomnia, depression, and headache among others.
When charging, the wireless charger may get hot. All of the chargers emit some energy in the form of heat while charging, and too much of it is not good for your body or your smartphone.
When shopping for a wireless charger, go for a reputable brand that has gone through extensive efficiency testing to verify that it emits minimal amounts of heat energy. This ensures your safety and that of your smartphone device. Some of the best brands have an advanced chipset that automatically shuts down the wireless charger in cases of excessive heating.
You should also buy a wireless charger which automatically turns off when the phone is fully charged. This helps prevent excessive heating of the charging pad, and minimizes the amount of EMF radiation being emitted.
How to Choose the Best Wireless Charger to Buy
Always make sure to look for Qi certification of your wireless charging pad. This guarantees compatibility with your wireless charging device. Confirming that the charger is designed specifically for your smartphone or device is an assurance that the wireless charger will charge your phone or tablet without compromising any of the phone’s features. Check for compatibility icons on the wireless charger and choose a model specific to your phone.
You should also look for the international safety standards symbol on the wireless charger to ensure it adheres to the legal framework for safety. The safety standards ensure the charger is manufactured using non-hazardous materials, and that it follows standards for safe levels of radiation emission.
Each country has its own safety standards for wireless chargers, but the most common certifications include FCC, CE, EAC, KC, and BSMI.
There are other standards you can use, like Rezence, but Qi is highly recommended for low magnetic field radiation. You can read more on wireless charger standards here.
Example of a low EMF wireless charger
Yootech Wireless Charger
Yootech is a Qi certified wireless charger that has 3 charging modes:
- The 7.5 W charging mode is used to charge iPhones with the latest iOS.
- The 10 W charging mode is reserved for Samsung devices and it is compatible with Galaxy/Note 10, 10 plus, s10, 9, S9, and S8.
- The 5 W charging mode is reversed for any Qi-enabled device.
The charger also has a unique design which is compatible with AirPods and the AirPod Pro. The size of the AirPod perfectly fits into the wireless charging pad. The top and bottom ring on the wireless pad hold the AirPod in place to prevent any slippage.
The Qi certified charger is safe and easy to use. It is made of fire-resistant ABC material and has temperature controls and surge protectors to prevent short-circuits.
It has a TPU case thickness of up to 4 mm and has a rubber material to firmly hold the phone.
It is also sleep friendly since it turns off the LED light when the phone is fully charged. This is a nice feature if you charge your phone at night.
Wireless Charger Radiation
Wireless chargers emit magnetic fields, electric fields, and radio frequency (RF) radiation. RF radiation is the most common type of radiation emitted by electronic devices like cell phones, cell towers, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth among other devices. Your cell phone can emit the three types of radiation but it generates a higher amount of radio frequency radiation, which is more dangerous than the other types of radiation.
Wireless chargers only emit magnetic field radiation in small amounts. To know how much radiation is being emitted by your wireless charger, rent an EMF meter. Using an EMF meter will allow you to read magnetic fields and measure how much radiation is emitted via the charging pad and other wireless devices.
Depending on the brand you’re using, there are some wireless chargers that emit more magnetic field radiation than others.
Charging pads made to the Qi open interface standard emit less radiation when the phone is attached to the pad. Maintaining a close distance with the phone while charging doubles your exposure, but if you keep away from the EMF emitting source, you can reduce your exposure by a quarter.
Other wireless devices like Wi-Fi, cell phones, and smart meters can emit EMF radiation even when they’re placed meters away. Wireless chargers; however, only emit magnetic radiation within the immediate vicinity of the charger.
Summary
Charging our devices is an essential part of our routine. In the past, you had to plug your devices into a wall plug or power bar by way of a cable. Now, there are many wireless charging devices on the market. You may wonder if they emit radiation, and the answer is yes, they do.
The amount of radiation they emit depends on the brand you’re using, the standard it is built to, and how powerful it is. The amount of EMF that you are exposed to depends entirely on how close you are to the devices, and for how long.
The device emits less EMF when it is charging a phone, because all of the signal is captured between the phone and the charger. When the charger is on, but the phone is not on it, the charger is emitting EMFs as it searches for a signal. Maintaining a close proximity with the wireless charger may expose you to magnetic field radiation that is emitted by the device.
When you buy the proper compatible wireless charger for your device, it will deliver just the right amount of power for your phone. There are charging pads which have higher power capabilities, but this capability will only be available if your phone can accept it. Therefore, when buying the wireless charger make sure you buy a model compatible with your mobile phone.
To reduce exposure to the EMFs emitted by your wireless charger, make sure to set it up somewhere where you do not spend a lot of time. Resist the urge to charge your phone beside your bed when you sleep.
