Special Topic: Bedrooms and Sleep
Making your home “safe” should begin with your bedroom. You likely spend more time there than anywhere else in your house. Moreover, your brain uses sleep as a time of deep healing, rest and recovery.
Things to do might include:
1.Smart Meters:
- Consider “opting out” of the Smart meter program by calling PG&E at 800-743-5000 (they will charge a one-time fee of $75, then $10 per month thereafter for three years); or
- If the Smart meter remains on, identify a “safe zone” in the house as far from the meter as possible—usually at least two full rooms away, perhaps even more;
- Radio frequency shielding is also an option to increase the area of safety. A low cost option is to use a cardboard box, aluminum foil and duct tape to create a four-sided cube: one of the two missing sides of the cube goes up against the Smart Meter, while the other one allows the signal to go out only in one direction. Be sure to direct signal away from your house, especially your bedroom.
2.Common radio frequency sources in or near a bedroom:
- Never bring your cell phone or a cordless phone into the bedroom at night
- Switch off or unplug your wireless computer router at night
3.Common low frequency electromagnetic sources in or near a bedroom:
- Avoid sleeping in close proximity to any major electromagnetic source (e.g. a refrigerator, stove/oven, fuse box, PG&E meter, a cellphone tower, or power lines). Bear in mind that a wall in between provides no protection.
- Use a battery-powered bedside clock.
- Keep electric light sources away from the side of your bed. Consider using a battery-powered reading lamp instead.
- At night, consider turning off the power to your bedroom at the breaker box.
4.More extensive shielding:
- Consider shielding your bedroom from outside radio frequency signals by using special paint and curtain material (a consultant is recommended for this project).
- If you can’t afford this, or won’t be staying long enough to warrant this investment, consider purchasing a bed canopy made with special material. It is important that it can be grounded and a consultant is recommended to help make a selection as some work far better than others.