I wonder this a lot – being that I usually have my phone in the waist band of my shorts or right beside my face when I sleep. Even a simple phone call could have the same impact. When I’m home, I constantly get reminded by my dad that keeping my phone too close to me all the time can cause cancer, but I shrug him off and go about keeping my phone on my body.

I recently started sleeping with my phone beside my face here at school, since I don’t have a side stand to put my phone on so I can hear my alarm in the morning and charge my phone at the same time. It has sparked wonder if keeping electronics too close to your body can actually cause cancer.

According to the World Health Organization in 2011, you should send a text instead of call, use your phones speaker or a head set, and keep your phone away from your head while you sleep. CBS News put out an article stating that cell phones give out electromagnetic radiation all the time, boosting your exposure and making you more susceptible to cancer risk. Using the airplane mode feature or simply placing your phone on a night stand could help deduce the radiation exposure.

CBS News also points out that keeping your phone in a pocket or bra isn’t the best idea, but holding a cell phone a small distance away from your body can significantly reduce the phone signals going into your skin. The Truth About Cancer confirms that cell phone radiation can cause two specific types of brain tumors called Acoustic Neuromas and Gliomas. Gliomas are malignant while Acoustic Neuromas are non-malignant, but can still be deadly. However, cell phone radiation can cause many different types of cancer, such as Thyroid cancer, Stem Cell cancer, and Leukemia – just to name a few.

Referring back to The Truth About Cancer, keeping your cell phone too close to your body can cause more than just cancer – it can also damage DNA, which some people consider a myth. PubMed.gov conducted a trial on mice to see if cellular radiation impacted the DNA in male germ cells. The trial showed that the DNA was damaged significantly in the mice that were tested whenever the phone was in dialing mode rather than listening mode.

Bottom line: don’t keep your phone in your pocket, bra, waist band or on your bed during sleep – the damage that can be done isn’t worth it. Maybe I should start listening to my dad more often.

This photo is from thetruthofcancer.com, portraying the detrimental effects of cell phone radiation on the body.