ADVERTISEMENT

Sleeping with your phone beside you is widely discouraged due to serious health, safety and psychological concerns.

From disrupted sleep cycles to potential overheating hazards, experts agree that keeping mobile devices close to your head at night poses avoidable risks.

While long-term radiation effects remain scientifically inconclusive, the immediate and well-established impact on sleep quality makes it wiser to place your phone at a safe distance before bedtime.

Below are six key health impacts of sleeping next to your phone:

1. Sleep disruption

Mobile phones can ring, beep or vibrate unexpectedly, interrupting rest even when notifications are minimal. Beyond that, many people suffer from FOMO – the fear of missing out – which creates a psychological urge to check their phones long after deciding to sleep. This constant anticipation keeps the brain alert, trapping users in the light Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage instead of progressing into deeper, restorative sleep.

2. Increased brain activity

Scientific studies indicate that prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation may compromise the blood-brain barrier, leading to albumin leakage in brain tissues. Additionally, wireless signals can stimulate increased brain glucose metabolism, meaning the brain becomes more active at a time when it should be resting and repairing.

3. Possible cancer risk

Controversy persists around the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which measures how much radiation the body absorbs from phones. While no conclusive scientific evidence has proven that mobile phones directly cause cancer, some researchers have suggested potential links. These concerns prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue a precautionary advisory, especially urging parents to limit children’s exposure to mobile devices.

4. Cognitive and behavioral effects

A 2009 study found that exposure to radiofrequency radiation is associated with slower response times during spatial working-memory tasks. Other findings show behavioural changes that mimic symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), including reduced attention span, hyperactivity and poor impulse control.

5. Reproductive malfunctions

Electromagnetic radiation poses potential risks to reproductive health. For pregnant women, there are concerns about unknown genetic mutations affecting developing embryos. Among men, studies have linked prolonged exposure to reduced sperm count, lower sperm quality and possible fertility issues.

6. Fire and overheating hazards

While it may not set the bed “literally” on fire, there have been multiple instances of flagship phones overheating or exploding while charging. Sleeping with the device close to the body increases the risk of burns or catching fire during malfunction. To reduce this danger, experts strongly advise keeping phones off the bed and away from direct physical contact during sleep.

Overall, the safest practice is to place your phone on a table or shelf away from your bed, switch it to silent mode, or activate “Do Not Disturb” features.

Prioritising your health and sleep quality begins with creating a phone-free sleeping environment.

ADVERTISEMENT

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with state governments and development partners, has intensified efforts to vaccinate 106 million Nigerian children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

The nationwide initiative aims to raise awareness for the ongoing Integrated Measles-Rubella, Polio, and Human Papillomavirus vaccination campaign, which will run from October 2025 to February 2026.

This large-scale vaccination exercise reflects the agency’s commitment to ensuring that no child is left unprotected while strengthening partnerships between national and state health authorities to achieve improved health outcomes for children across the country.

On October 6, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who flagged off the Measles–Rubella campaign, described the exercise as a bold step toward protecting the lives and future of children.

Speaking during a road walk and health show in Abuja, the Director of Disease Control and Immunization at NPHCDA, Dr. Garuba Rufai, described the exercise as part of a broad awareness campaign currently taking place across 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“This is part of our awareness campaign for the measles-rubella integrated campaign that is currently ongoing in 11 states and the FCT.

“As we speak, in those 11 states and the FCT, children aged zero to 14 years are being vaccinated with the measles-rubella vaccine and the polio vaccine. The HPV vaccine is for girls aged nine to 14 years, alongside the routine immunization vaccines,” Dr. Rufai explained.

He added that the campaign is being implemented in collaboration with other health programmes, including malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

“We are also collaborating with the malaria programme, and we are providing what we call seasonal malaria prophylaxis in a couple of the states. We’re also working with the NTDs programme to manage some of the diseases in states where they are prevalent,” he noted.

According to Dr. Rufai, several strategies have been deployed nationwide to ensure that the campaign reaches every eligible child.

“We have all of our social mobilization efforts, including the use of public announcement vans. We have engaged with communities and different groups — teachers, parents, physicians, ministries such as education, religious bodies, and traditional leaders,” he said.

He disclosed that similar road walks are being replicated across participating states, supported by state governments, the wives of governors, and local government chairpersons.

Rufai revealed that while the first phase of the campaign covers 11 states and the FCT, the next phase will commence soon.

“We intend to vaccinate 106 million Nigerians by the end of February. We’re starting with 11 states and the FCT now. By October 18, we’ll move to the next stream of states, which will complete the first phase for this year. By January next year, we’ll continue with phase two, and also in February,” he explained.

He urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the ongoing exercise.

“Nigerians should come out en masse and get their children vaccinated — not just for this campaign, but also by taking their children to health facilities for routine vaccines. The diseases are not waiting; they do not know any political party, religion, or tribe.

“When a child catches one of these diseases and develops complications, something as seemingly simple as measles can make a child go blind. Why would anyone wait for that to happen? Why would any woman allow herself to give birth to a child only to lose them before they reach their full potential?” he added.

The World Health Organization Coordinator for the FCT, Dr. Kumshida Balami, emphasised that vaccines are both safe and effective, stressing the need to eliminate diseases that should no longer claim lives in the 21st century.

“We cannot be in this century and still have children coming down with measles or polio. We cannot still have women dying from cervical cancer simply caused by the human papillomavirus — a disease that can be prevented through vaccination,” she said.

She further urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all eligible children receive the necessary vaccines, noting that the goal is to safeguard lives and build trust in the nation’s health system.

Similarly, the Director-General of the NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina, together with the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, on Friday led a joint monitoring team to assess the progress of the ongoing vaccination campaign.

The monitoring team visited Primary Health Care Centres within and outside the FCT, including the Chikora North PHC in Kogi Local Government Area, Kogi State, and the New Township PHC in Abaji Area Council, Abuja.

A press statement released on Saturday and signed by Mrs. Bola Ajao, Special Adviser to Dr. Fasawe, noted that the team also visited surrounding communities, sensitizing mothers and caregivers on the importance of immunization and advising them to ensure their children are vaccinated and properly finger-marked as evidence of vaccination.

Dr. Aina commended the dedication of frontline health workers and encouraged them to maintain accuracy and honesty in data reporting, stressing that verified data — whether targets are achieved or not — are crucial for effective planning and sustainable health sector improvement.

He explained that the monitoring visits were designed to evaluate coverage levels and workforce commitment, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, and to ensure credible, on-the-spot assessments of field operations.

Aina further assured health providers that the Federal Government is aware of their challenges and is taking steps to address them under the Renewed Hope Health Reform Agenda of the present administration, aimed at delivering equitable and efficient healthcare services across the nation.

“At the New Township PHC, Abaji, Dr. Fasawe personally administered vaccines to infants and sensitized mothers on the importance of routine immunization to prevent child-killer diseases and avoidable deaths. She urged parents to spread the message within their communities, noting that unvaccinated children remain at high risk of contracting measles (rubeola) and rubella (German measles) — viral infections that can lead to blindness, brain damage, hearing loss, congenital defects, and even death.

“Both health leaders commended the turnout and coverage recorded by the vaccination teams so far, urging them to remain proactive and adhere strictly to safety standards. During the visit, the delegation also attended to a 13-year-old patient at the Kogi PHC and recommended follow-up care to ensure effective service delivery,” the statement highlighted.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Federal Government has flagged off the campaign for measles, polio, HPV immunisation vaccines, and other neglected tropical diseases interventions across the country.

The event was held on Monday at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

It aims to eliminate measles by the year 2030 through strengthened routine immunisation, enhanced surveillance and outbreak response, integration of measles and rubella initiatives into primary health care, and promotion of innovative technologies.

With 16 million children expected to be vaccinated during the exercise, the integrated campaign targets children between the ages of nine and 14 years with the Measles Rubella vaccines.

Others include the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh; and the representatives of the international development partners, among others.