When was the last time that you had a dream?  When you went to sleep last night did you have a good night sleep? I am sure that almost everyone has heard of REM (rapid eye movement) when it comes to sleeping as well as the steps that are associated with it.  Not getting enough sleep, or more importantly, getting enough quality sleep, can lead to a list of ailments.  But the real question is–why are you not sleeping, or sleeping poorly?  One possible answer is your electromagnetic surroundings.

Melatonin is a hormone that is made from serotonin by the pineal gland that is located in the brain.  Melatonin helps regulate sleep patterns through control of your circadian cycle.  It is also associated with your ability to learn, fends off free radicals and other forms of aging, and other key immune-system functions, including your body’s ability to defend against cancer.   Melatonin levels in your body correlate with serotonin levels, which are related to human diet, metabolism, and even depression.  By 2000 there were already 15 different studies demonstrating that extremely low frequency, radio frequency, and microwave radiation suppress your body’s ability to produce melatonin¹.  Melatonin is produced at night while you sleep.  Because of the dirty electricity and wireless pollution in or around your room, your body may interpret these signals as from the sun and thus does not function correctly at night because your body thinks that it is day.  Up until the last 150 years, all of the electromagnetic radiation that was experienced on Earth was natural in that it was created by the sun or was naturally present on Earth.  However, with more and more advancements comes more and more forms of electromagnetic pollution.  This can result in poor sleep, which in turn means that you will not recover as fast and could feel more tired.   In the end you don’t go through REM sleep, and thus you don’t dream.  Dreaming is good, dreaming, although they can be disturbing, is healthy and a sign to look for.  If you are not dreaming on a consistent basis, then it could mean something is wrong.  Being tired during the day is not normal.  Needing a 5-hour energy in the middle of the day all the time is not normal nor is taking naps all the time.  This is the way your body is telling you something is wrong.  Will you take the time to listen?

There are really two main sources of EMF’s that can cause the disturbances that can interfere with the production of melatonin. One is the dirty electricity found in the wires of your home which are also called high frequency voltage transients.  The high frequency is created by harmonics which are made by your electronics that you have in your home.  Depending on the area you live and the amount of electronics, this will determine the amount of harmonics that are coming from your wiring in your home.  There are two ways to deal with this.  One is to kill the power to the circuit at night.  Go to your circuit board and shut off the power to the room that you are sleeping in.  You could really turn off all of the items that are not needed, leaving only the essentials like furnace, fridge, or AC on.  The other solution is to install filters to reduce your exposure, both at night and during the day when your power is on.

Another source is wireless or smart tech that you may own or depending on your proximity to neighbors, their tech as well.  This would include but not limited to Wi-Fi (yours or your neighbors), your smart phones, Fitbits or other wireless devices you wear, cell towers or other broadcasting towers in your area, DECT phones, and smart meters.   Two ways to deal with these items is either by shutting of the offending device or with shielding.   If you need shielding, have it measured first before and after to make sure that the shielding material you bought is actually shielding you.   

If you do sleep poorly at night, or feel the need to take something in order to fall asleep, then I would suggest having your sleeping area looked at.  This way at the end of the day, when you lay down to sleep you may get restful sleep filled with dreams.

Blank, Martin (2014) Overpowered. New York, NY: Seven Stories Press. Pages 86-7