Most of use, including me, use our phones right up until we go to bed. We plug it in beside us in bed, and go to sleep. Not that we think this is the best thing to do, but it feels necessary. We usually use our phones as our alarm clocks so it makes sense to do this. Apparently not.
A New Hampshire fire department posted on Facebook warning cell phone to use their charging cables with caution. They stated that the heat produced by the charger can get so hot that it can burn fabric causing fires, in some cases.
The reason there were burns seen in that post, was probably from exposed wires on the charger. I don't know about anyone else but I am so guilty of this.
So how bad is it really to sleep with your phone? Brad Nichols, a technician with a technology repair service company told Reader's Digest, exactly how bad it might be.
He said the act of having your phone on your bed doesn't pose very much risk at all. It's when it gets plugged in on your bed when you fall asleep. If a phone is charging and is tightly under a pillow or blanket, it could heat up and cause a fire.
The risk increases if you fall asleep with a video, or music playing, while it's also charging.
This increases the risk because when you drain or charge your battery, your phone lets off heat, and when you drain your battery by using it while it's trying to charge, it gets even hotter. "The problem is when it's covered with cloth and doesn't allow the heat to escape," Nichols says. So a pillow or blanket smothering your already overheating phone could be an accident waiting to happen.
To remain safe and prevent over-heating or even fires, here's a few suggestions and tips.
1. Have your phone charging on a side table instead of in your bed.
2. Don't cheap out on chargers, buy a trusted charger that is made for the phone you have.
3. Don't fall asleep with your phone charging while playing music or watching a video.
4. If your phone seems to be overheating, put it on a hard, flat surface and turn it off to let it cool down.
5. Try not to over-charge your phone, unplug it when it hits 100%.
Your phone probably won't catch on fire from having it plugged in, but it is safest to not have it in bed with you when it's charging. Practice safe phone use, and don't make the fire department come to your house over a cell phone fire.