A common practice is to charge mobile phones overnight, beside the bed. This is not good practice and does pose a fire hazard.
A third of teenagers for example sleep with their mobile phone under a pillow, whilst 74% of Britons charge mobile phones in the bedroom.
Mobile phones generate heat and by covering them can prevent the heat escaping and increase the chance of overheating.
Charging a phone on a flat open space away from any flammables help reduce the chance of overheating.
Overcharging a can also be a problem resulting in an outbreak of fire. Lithium-ion batteries commonly used in mobile phones and may other household products do have safeguards built in but there is still a risk they may fail.
Apart from being a fire hazard, when a mobile phone is left switched on, sleep patterns can be disturbed with the sound of notifications and screen light.
Good practice is to have at least an hour of a ‘tech free zone’ to aid better sleeping.
15/4/24