A new study has suggested that men who use their smartphones at night could be putting a dent in their fertility.
Scientists have discovered that night time exposure to screens can be connected to a decline in sperm quality, so it might be time to make sure you’re not spending too much time looking at your phone before bed.
The study, conducted by science journal Sleep, looked at semen samples taken from 116 men aged between 21 and 59 who were in the middle of fertility evaluation. The participants also answered questions about their bedtime habits, sleep quality and use of electronic devices.
Researchers then found that the respondents who said they used their smartphones more during the evenings had lower quality sperm, displaying reduced concentration and mobility.
One of the reasons for this could be the radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation that is given off from mobile phones. Scientists say radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation increases the temperature of the sperm and affects its creation.
Dr Amit Green, who led the study at the Sleep and Fatigue Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel, said: "Smartphone and tablet use in the evening and after bedtime was correlated with decline in sperm quality.
"Furthermore, smartphone use in the evening, tablet use after bedtime, and television use in the evening were all correlated with the decline of sperm concentration.
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report these types of correlations between sperm quality and exposure time to short-wavelength light emitted from digital media, especially smartphones and tablets, in the evening and after bedtime."
Keeping a smartphone in your front pocket for longer than four hours has also been linked to a drop in sperm quality. According to the NHS website, testicles need to be kept cool for optimum sperm production.
It’s always wise to keep track of your digital health. Staring at a screen for long periods at night is also linked with poor sleep quality, which in turn is another factor in low sperm counts so if you are concerned perhaps make a point of switching off from screens in the evening.
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