Human sleep EEG under the influence of pulsed radio frequency electromagnetic fields - Results from polysomnographies using submaximal high power flux densities

Former exploratory investigations of sleep alterations due to global system for mobile communications (GSM) signals have shown a hypnotic and REM-supp ressive effect under field exposure, This effect was observed in a first st udy using a power flux density of 0.5 W/m(2), and the same trend occurred i n a second study with a power flux density of 0.2 W/m(2). For the present s tudy, we applied a submaximal power flux density of 50 W/m(2). To investiga te putative effects of radio frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of cel lular GSM phones on human sleep EEG pattern, all-night polysomnographies of 20 healthy male subjects both with and without exposure to a circularly po larized EMF (900 MHz, pulsed with a frequency of 217 Hz, pulse duration 577 mus) were recorded. The results showed no significant effect of the field application either on conventional sleep parameters or on sleep EEG power s pectra. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.