Spring clean for lower EMR levels
Enjoy any home-time you get with a clean healthy space and relax with lower EMR levels. Anytime of the year is a good opportunity to give our homes a good spring clean. Along with cleaning those dusty, hard-to-reach spots and ensuring our home is free of mould and other toxins, take a few simple steps to deal with other invisible nasties: electromagnetic frequencies, and most specifically electromagnetic radiation (EMR). See the research
EMR is emitted from all wireless and smart devices and these days our homes are increasingly full of them. The WiFi router, smart meter, smart TV, mobile phones, laptops and smart appliances, including voice controlled ‘assistants’ (yes Alexa, we’re looking at you!)
There is much research to show that prolonged exposure to EMR can be detrimental to our health. Indeed, many people are extremely sensitive to the increasing amount of EMR in our environment, so it is important to reduce our everyday exposure to it and the best place to start is in our own homes.
Measuring EMR in our home
An initial assessment of the EMR in your home can be as simple as looking around and noting where we spend time and if there are any electronics or network hubs sitting close by in each room.
The best way to start an EMR Spring clean is to measure current levels of EMR in our home, particularly those areas in which we spend the most time.
EMR can be measured using an RF (radiofrequency) meter and is measured in µW/m². Experts recommend that a typical home should keep levels low i.e.: <10µW/m² for living spaces and <5µW/m² for sleeping areas.
It is worth measuring other types of EMF alongside electromagnetic radiation, such as magnetic fields, from household wiring and nearby powerlines, and electric fields from household appliances. Approximately one-third of our background exposure at home is sourced from household wiring, electrical equipment and appliances. As these levels are of concern, it is important to consider this alongside any EMR reduction strategies.
The next step is to identify the sources of EMR in the home. The most obvious emitters in our homes are WiFi routers, smart meters and smart devices but there are also some unexpected sources of EMR to be aware of, such as baby monitors, cordless phones, smart fridges and even smart LED light bulbs.
5 Top Tips to reduce EMR exposure in your home
1. Create distance from the source of EMR at home
Thanks to the Inverse Square Law of physics, distance is a key factor when trying to reduce exposure to EMF. The further away we are from the source of EMR, the better protected we are from it (worth remembering next time we put our phone in our pocket!)
Consider ways to increase our distance from EMR emitting devices. For example, if the bed is against the opposite side of the wall from a smart meter or a high emitting appliance, can the bedroom furniture be re-arranged to increase distance from the source of EMR? Could the WiFi router be relocated away from the main living area or sleeping areas of the home?
2. Power down, switch devices off at home
All smart devices emit electromagnetic radiation when in use so consider powering them off when they’re not needed. We tend to be in the habit of leaving our WiFi router on 24/7 but a great tip to reduce EMR exposure is to power down when ever possible, turn off the WiFi router when it’s not in use, particularly in the evenings and during the night to safeguard our sleep. A simple Christmas lights timer can be used to switch the router off at the same time each night and back on again each morning.
3. Get hard-wired at home instead of WiFi and Bluetooth
An EMR Spring Clean is also the ideal opportunity to consider swapping out WiFi for hard-wired ethernet cables on computers, printers and other wireless tech. Limit your wiring to service the select few devices you need, for example, opting for an old-fashioned wired phone and baby monitor which is predominantly free of radio frequency radiation. There are many online resources to show you how to effectively hard-wire your house and turn off the need for WiFi.
4. Create a ‘no tech’ zone at home
Nominate a ‘no tech’ zone. We recommend the bedrooms be clear of any tech. Create a landing site, device hub or electronics zone, away from bedrooms where phones and other smart devices can be stored , charged or left off or set to airplane mode overnight. For those in the habit of using a phone as an alarm clock, you may still hear your alarm in the distance on airplane mode or even better, as you’ll be sleeping well, you may need to opt for good old-fashioned, non-EMR emitting, alarm clock.
5. Check your home lighting
Modern lighting has seen the switchover from incandescent bulbs to energy-saving fluorescent bulbs which are high emitters of other types of EMF, as well as high levels of blue light. Artificial lighting through down lights and traditional light bulbs affects not only our eye health, but also disrupts our circadian rhythm leading to poor sleep.
Some new homes are advancing with smart lighting linked to an app on the phone and can be controlled wirelessly. This kind of lighting installed in a home increases the EMR exposure.
To take comfort in your home with healthier lighting, make the swap to the BioLight range from Block Blue Light. With three settings to replicate the natural lighting of the sun at different times of the day, dawn, daytime and dusk, the BioLight is a full spectrum lighting solution with low EMF and flicker free to create a healthier lighting environment within the home.
Visit our Reducing Exposure page and our Radiation Protection page for more on the ways to reduce exposure to EMR.
