Why I’m Rethinking My Bedtime Phone Habit
I have always known my phone was unclean. I take it everywhere, from coffee shops to public restrooms to my very bed. But until now, I hadn't really considered how gross it actually is. Scientists are now saying that our phones carry a bacteria-laden picnic of sorts, with a variety of unfriendly life forms lounging around on our handsets.
And, as always, the big question is, what could these germs do to us if they get past our defenses and into our bodies? One contaminant that, interestingly enough, could come from our own bodies is known to be associated with human skin, so clearly some of the moisture we wipe onto the phone (and the inevitable oil, if you have any sort of porosity to your skin) could theoretically keep this bacteria thriving.
It’s amusing to think about how this is something we all partake in, yet I've really never asked myself why. I've got my phone at my side as I drift off into sleep, if not in my hands, and definitely not on airplane mode. What am I just giving to my skin?
Not to mention that seemingly good sleep I've been trying to achieve. I don't know. I don't think I've gotten healthier through this process. If anything, my skin has become more irritated.
Once again, a nightstand seems like a good place for a phone. Maybe some people should just be "masters" of the nightstand.