There is worldwide concern about the amount of Electro-Magnetic Radiation (EMR) we are being exposed to on a daily, even hourly, basis. Many people suffer from the effects of EMR, with the symptoms being labelled as electrohypersensitivity. However scientists still have no real idea just how great the risk of cumulative and multiple exposures to all sources of EMR is. Many of the electrohypersensitivity sufferers aren’t even aware that the symptoms they are worried about have anything to do with the Wi-Fi in their house, the mobile phone they use every day or the baby monitor that is regularly strapped to their body.

The more our telecommunications systems develop—the more we rely on wireless systems of communication, and the more cases of electrohypersensitivity we will see. The Bioininitative Report found that chronic exposure to even low-level radiation (i.e. from mobile phones), could lead to a variety of cancers, impair immunity, contribute to Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and heart disease, and many other ailments. This is terrifying on its own, but even more so when you think how many people today have their mobile phone on them all day and then sleep with it on their bedside table at night.

Professor Olle Johansson, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, found that there are around a quarter of a million Swedes suffering from varying forms of electrohypersensitivity and is keen for more research to be done. With many of us working at computers all day, using mobile and/or cordless phones and living near telephone masts it is essential to understand the effects that microwave radiation exposure is having on our health.

It has been shown that the nearer these devices are to your body, the more at risk you are from them. The Swiss Government have expressed particular concern on their public health website, specifically warning about the dangers of WiFi:

“Only switch your WLAN (WiFi) on when you need it. With laptops, in particular, it is a good idea to switch the WLAN (WiFi) off as otherwise the device will repeatedly try to connect to a network, leading to unnecessary radiation…and caution should be exercised primarily when using devices held close to the body, such as laptops, PDAs and Internet telephones”.

Watch the video below for more information about EMR research carried out in Switzerland, and see how measurements are taken from mobile phone antennas, Wi-Fi base stations and cordless telephones. Sometimes the readings are so high that they exceed the maximum level on the monitor!

ANH Electro-Magnetic Radiation campaign page