For many it is part of everyday life: They charge the cell phone battery in bed at night. However, if it slips under the pillow or blanket, it can be dangerous for the smartphone and the owner. TECHNOLOGY BUTTON explains the reasons.

Without a smartphone in hand, some can no longer even imagine their life. Even in the bedroom, many do not want to do without their cell phone. But it is precisely this behavior that harbors dangers – and not just because of the radiation. Because if you connect your mobile phone to the charging cable in bed, you risk more than just a technical defect. When the phone charges, heat is generated. It accumulates even more when the smartphone slips under the duvet or pillow. This can cause the cell phone to overheat. “No device should be charged under such circumstances, as heat can build up. This can lead to critical conditions up to and including a fire, ”says Jürgen Ripperger from the Association for Electrical Engineering (VDE) about TECHNOLOGY BUTTON.

Overheating Damages Smartphones

Only those who use their mobile phone properly can benefit from the device for a long time. “The functionality of my mobile phone can be impaired if there are large temperature differences such as overheating. This can damage the product and lead to premature aging, ”explains Ripperger. In particular, the performance of the battery can suffer and thus shorten the service life and only allow limited use. The operating instructions for the cell phones tell you how to use your cell phone properly.

“Many cell phones recognize the rise in temperature and switch off prematurely. But this means that the full charging capacity is not achieved, ”says Ripperger. If the customer persistently does not use the device as the manufacturer claims, he risks that the mobile phone no longer works as it should. “A string of errors can be dangerous,” explains Jürgen Ripperger.

In recent years, the New York police have also repeatedly warned of the dangers that arise when users charge their mobile phones in bed. The increased warmth can have dire consequences, especially if the smartphone is under a pillow or bedspread. The pictures of burned and charred cell phones in bed should enlighten all users. The police warned on the news service Twitter that the cell phones could even explode and seriously injure the sleeping person.

“It always has to be clarified exactly what the causes were,” comments Jürgen Ripperger. It can be assumed that the cell phone was generally not used properly in such cases. However, errors by the manufacturer can also be the cause in individual cases.

The Cell Phone as a Sleeping Partner

According to a study by the University of Koblenz-Landau, every fourth teenager has a cell phone under the pillow. The smartphone is not suitable as a sleeping partner because it can cause health problems such as sleep disorders. Even before going to sleep, using your cell phone should be taboo. American researchers found that if you look at your cell phone before going to sleep, the quality of sleep decreases. And let’s be honest: at least our bed can be declared a cell phone-free zone.