Sleep is essential for physical health, mental clarity and emotional balance. Yet many people struggle to feel truly rested, even when they appear to be getting enough hours in bed.
A recent peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Public Health explored whether exposure to active wireless devices during the night may influence sleep quality.
What Did the Researchers Actually Find?
In this study, healthy adults slept at home for several nights with either an active wireless device (similar to a baby monitor or Wi-Fi device) placed near their bed, or an identical device that was switched off.
When the wireless device was active:
- Some participants reported poorer perceived sleep quality
- Some felt more restless or less refreshed
- Brain recordings showed signs of lighter, more “alert” sleep, even though people were asleep
In simple terms, the brain appeared to be less deeply at rest during the night.
Not everyone was affected, and the study was small, but the effect was clear enough for the researchers to advise caution with wireless devices in the bedroom until more research is done.
What Does This Mean in Real Life?
These results do not prove that phones or Wi-Fi are harmful. But they do suggest something important:
Sleeping with your phone next to your bed may interfere with how deeply your brain relaxes during sleep, even if you don’t wake up fully.
This could help explain why some people:
- Sleep for 7–8 hours but still feel tired
- Wake feeling mentally “wired”
- Experience restless or non-restorative sleep
The effect is likely subtle, cumulative, and varies from person to person, but sleep is highly sensitive, especially during the night.
A Simple, Sensible Takeaway
Good sleep hygiene has always included keeping the bedroom dark, quiet and calm. This research suggests it may also be wise to keep it digitally quiet.
Practical steps many sleep specialists already recommend include:
- Keeping phones off the bedside table
- Avoiding charging devices next to the bed
- Switching off unnecessary wireless devices overnight where possible
These are low-risk changes that may help the nervous system fully “power down”.
Supporting Sleep From the Inside
Environmental changes matter, but so does how calm your nervous system is when you go to bed.
This is where natural sleep support can play a complementary role.
L-Theanine – Calming the Mind
L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. It is known for helping the brain shift into a calm, relaxed state without causing drowsiness.
It may be particularly helpful if:
- Your mind feels busy at night
- You struggle to switch off mentally
- Stress or overthinking delays sleep
Glycine – Helping the Body Settle
Glycine is a naturally occurring amino acid involved in nervous system regulation. Research suggests it may help:
- The body cool down slightly at night (important for sleep)
- Improve perceived sleep quality
- Support deeper, more restorative sleep
It works gently and supports sleep physiology rather than forcing sedation.
Ashwagandha – Reducing Stress at the Root
Ashwagandha is best known for helping the body adapt to stress.
Rather than acting like a sleeping pill, it supports:
- Cortisol balance
- Stress resilience
- Sleep quality in people whose sleep is disrupted by ongoing pressure or anxiety
This makes it especially relevant in modern, high-stress lifestyles.
The Bigger Picture
Sleep disruption is rarely caused by one thing alone. It is usually the result of:
- Stress
- Stimulation (light, noise, devices)
- A nervous system that struggles to fully unwind
This research highlights that even passive exposure in the bedroom may matter, and that protecting sleep means looking at both environment and biology.
At Suppist, we take a cautious, evidence-based approach:
supporting sleep by reducing barriers to rest, not overriding the body’s natural rhythms.
You can explore our full range of science-led sleep support supplements in the Sleep collection.