
Are you aware of how much radiation you're exposed to?
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs), also known as radiation, are everywhere, even though we can't see them. Many don't realize that a small percentage of the EMFs people are exposed to come from consumer products.
Unfortunately, there's no way to escape some exposure completely, whether it's from your cell phone, nearby power lines, or the cosmos. Even the human body emits electromagnetic field energy!
Even so, chronic exposure isn't good for the body. It can increase your risk of cancer and impact the central nervous system.Let's look at what a healthy night's rest looks like and what type of mattress products you can use to avoid chronic exposure to EMFs.
A Healthy Night Sleep Consists of These Four Stages
When exposed to magnetic fields at night, it's harder to go through the four stages of healthy sleep. Each one of these stages lasts about 1.5 hours and is essential for experiencing restorative rest.
Here's a detailed look at the four stages and how quality sleep affects your overall well-being.
Stage 1: NREM (N1)
Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) is the first stage of sleep and occurs within the first five minutes. At this point, you're essentially dozing off. You might wake up if you hear a sound or experience another disruption, but your brain and heart slow down their activities as your body begins to relax and feel comfortable.
Stage 2: NREM (N2)
You'll be sleeping more deeply in the second stage. This N2 stage lasts between 10 and 60 minutes and constitutes about 45% of your sleep. Sometimes it's divided into two phases, which are light and moderate sleep.
As you drift to sleep, your brain activity, heart rate, and body temperature are much lower than in N1. At this point, you also experience sleep spindles, which are bursts of brain activity that are measured between 11 to 16 Hz and last between 0.5 and 2 seconds.
Sleep spindles are more than a night-time phenomenon: These natural occurrences are essential for memory consolidation and reprocessing. Unfortunately, sleep disruptions — from something as subtle as EMFs in your bedroom or a more obvious disruption like a loud sound — at N2 may affect this activity and cause memory issues.
Sleeping in an environment that constantly disrupts rest may lead to specific human health issues. Low-density sleep spindles are, in fact, indicators of neurological disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease.
Stage 3: NREM (N3)
Known as pre-REM, it's not easy to wake during the N3 stage of sleep, which takes between 20 and 40 minutes and makes up about 25% of the sleep cycle. You're in such a deep sleep that loud noises as high as 100 dB (like a motorcycle driving by) won't wake you up.
While N2 is vital for memory consolidation, N3 is essential for restorative sleep. This is when your body repairs itself — making it the most critical stage for immune health. Unfortunately, the older you get, the less time you spend in deep sleep.The good news is that you can use an EMF-protectant mattress that shields you from radiation so that you feel well-rested when you wake up.
Stage 4: REM
Stage 4 is characterized by rapid eye movement (REM), a consequence of irregular muscle movements during dreams. REM sleep is vital for memory, learning, and cognition.
You're dreaming at this point, causing your brain waves to behave as though you're awake. Your heart rate and blood pressure also increase, and your brain increases oxygen intake. This stage lasts between 10 and 60 minutes and makes up about 25% of your total sleep. So even while your brain is active, you're still resting.
Once the human body goes through one cycle, it usually resets to N2 and begins a new cycle. But you need all four stages to have a well-rested and restorative night — however, certain sleep disruptors, including EMF radiation, make it challenging to optimize your sleeping hours.
The Effect EMFs Have on Sleeping
As you wind down at the end of the day, your brain releases a hormone called melatonin, which is first released after darkness sets in and climaxes between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. The brain slows down the melatonin secretion at about 4:00 a.m., eventually stopping at around 8:00 a.m.
Melatonin is, therefore, responsible for your sleep-wake cycle, otherwise known as the circadian rhythm. In a perfect world, you'd maintain a healthy sleep schedule and rest for seven to nine hours a night. Unfortunately, sleep disrupters, such as harmful toxins from EMFs, affect melatonin production, sleep quality, and long-term well-being.
Studies have shown that exposure to radiation at night is a major contributor to reducing sleep time, increasing wake time, and lowering sleep efficiency.
Additionally, EMF radiation exposure at night can affect your sleep cycles by causing your blood cells to cluster and clot, thus reducing the levels of oxygen getting to the brain. You brain requires lots of oxygen to properly go through all the stages of sleep.
EMF Sources in the Bedroom
Americans are exposed to an average of 6.2 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation every year, while in Canada, the average background exposure rate is about 1.8 mSv.
But you might be surprised how much electromagnetic radiation envelops your bedroom at night, so let's look at some of the top sources of EMFs that might be in or near the bedroom:
- Radiofrequency (RF) gadgets: Many everyday devices release radiofrequency waves (also called electromagnetic fields), which include cell phones, Bluetooth, and wireless devices like keyboards, earbuds, and computer mice
- Blue light from devices like your television, cell phone, and laptop
- Magnetic fields from devices like electric shavers and hairdryers
- A metal coil spring mattress: Studies have shown that the metal in metal coil spring mattresses or a box spring might act as an antenna, amplifying radiation to a high-frequency range.
You may think the first step to protecting yourself is to turn off any devices in your bedroom, but even then, your bedroom remains charged due to electronic smog. Electronic smog occurs when an electronic device is plugged in and creates electric fields in the environment surrounding it. For example, charging your laptop creates electronic smog. That's why you're exposed to radiation even when the devices in your room are off.
Still, you can protect yourself: A mattress with EMF protection is one way to reduce exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic fields and ensure you sleep in a healthy environment. In fact, a study revealed that using a bed with an EMF insulating system can offer protection from radiation. It also shows that sleeping on a protected bed can boost your immunity, slow aging, and improve your inflammatory-oxidative state.
How Essenia Mattresses Offer EMF Protection
A bed insulated from EMFs lets you rest without being enveloped in electromagnetic fields. That's why we created one of the only mattress products that offer built-in EMF protection.
During the development process, we used dark film microscopy to identify how your blood cells react to radiation. Through our testing, we discovered that your blood cells stack together when exposed to radiation, reducing their ability to transfer oxygen to your organs and disrupting sleep.
Thus, Essentia's EMF protection foam technology was born. This technology shields you from amplified electromagnetic radiation. Essentia's technology creates a more robust natural frequency that counters the effects of electromagnetic radiation, preventing your blood cells from accumulating together.
With this, you can sleep better at night while obtaining your body's optimal blood oxygen levels.
Our mattresses don't use synthetic foams. They are made with natural memory foam, which neutralizes radiation by forcing EMF frequencies to flow in natural alignment.
Also, the natural latex used in our mattresses is Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS)-certified, guaranteeing that the mattress has the highest quality organic latex possible.
In essence, an EMF-free mattress grounds your body by neutralizing all harmful electronic signals and positively affecting your body while you finally get a restful night's sleep.
Conclusion
EMF radiation is a sleep-interrupting stimulant that slows down the secretion of melatonin, the hormone responsible for your sleep-wake cycle.
That means if you're exposed to EMFs, you might have a shorter sleep and wake up more frequently. As a result, you don't experience the four stages of sleep required for a healthy night's rest. Unfortunately, many sleepers in North America are exposed to EMFs every single day.
Essentia makes a sound and safe night's sleep possible with latex mattresses and a natural mattress topper with built-in electromagnetic field protection. Upgrade your sleeping environment today and say goodbye to worries about EMF exposure at night. Explore our range of organic memory foam mattresses designed for restorative sleep today.