Sleeping next to an iPhone lying charging is anything but rare. Waking up in the morning with a fully charged phone is anno 2023 a must. However, recent warnings from Apple shed light on the dangers. Conclusion: just don’t do it.
There are important measures you should take to ensure safety, according to Apple. Not only for the iPhone, but also for yourself and those around you. What exactly is going on?
Hidden dangers of charging an iPhone while you sleep
Sleeping with a charging iPhone next to you may seem harmless, but it’s not. Apple recently clarified that not only does it mess up your sleep cycle, but it can also shorten battery life. Although those are two things that are dwarfed by the other risks.
Apple reveals that leaving an iPhone on the charger can cause serious problems. Charging your iPhone could theoretically lead to fire, electric shock, injury or damage to your iPhone and other property. And by other property, we mean irreplaceable items such as your arms, legs or torso.
“Do not sleep with a device, power adapter or wireless charger,” Apple informs. “Also do not place them under a blanket, pillow or your own body while connected to a power source.”
While you might have thought of that advice yourself, the reason behind it may not be quite what you expected.
(Image: Unsplash/Thai Nguyen)
Clear advice from Apple
The risk involved in charging an iPhone has everything to do with air circulation. Not only around the phone itself, but also around the charging cable and charger. They should all be in a well-ventilated area during charging. So shoving an iPhone under a pillow or blanket is anything but advisable.
Of course, Apple also immediately let it be known that it’s not just about how you charge your iPhone. Equipment also plays a big role. Using official charging cables and adapters is a must. At least, according to the party selling the charging cables and adapters, of course.
Anyway, this is an article about Apple’s own advice. That informs that once a charging cable or adapter is damaged, you should replace it with Apple-approved alternatives. Now of course you shouldn’t do anything, but we do agree with the company that those cheap chargers are really not a good option.
How do I recognize official charging cables for iPhone?
You can recognize official charging cables and adapters by the MFi label, also known as Made for iPhone. These are Apple-approved accessories designed to connect to your smartphone and meet the American company’s performance standards.
Taking iPhone out of the bedroom, always a good idea
Not just charging an iPhone, but using a smartphone in the bedroom at all is best avoided. This has not so much to do with fire danger as it does with a short fuse. In fact, it makes you sleep less well.
According to scientific research, this has everything to do with melatonin. This sleep hormone is disrupted by blue light and brain activity. Many people think that this only makes you fall asleep worse, but it also ruins the quality of that sleep. It increases alertness at night.
Long story short: just get that iPhone out of the bedroom and charge it in a well-ventilated area. Then the next morning you’ll still have a full phone as well as a full personal battery.
