Why should you turn off WiFi before sleeping? Myths, benefits, and sensible habits

If you're wondering why so many people talk about turning off Wi-Fi before bed, you're not alone. There are many reasons why this everyday action revolves around this simple act. arguments related to health, savings, maintenance, battery life, and safety They don't always say the same thing. Here you'll find a complete guide with pros, cons, and nuances to help you decide what's right for you based on your home and your habits.

There are two ideas that should be clear from the very beginning. On the one hand, There is no absolute consensus. Regarding the effects of home WiFi signals on sleep and health; on the other hand, there are practical benefits to disconnecting your mobile phone or router at night, although They are neither drastic nor miraculousWe are going to bring order to everything that is known and what is recommended.

Does turning off WiFi at night improve health and sleep?

A significant number of experts and technical guides indicate that, with the current evidence, Home WiFi networks have not been shown to harm sleep Nor does it directly affect your health. No conclusive evidence has been found to indicate that sleeping with the router on worsens your sleep on its own.

However, there are also publications that urge caution. Some reports and reviews have linked prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields with possible biological effects; these have even been documented in animal models. physiological and behavioral alterations under certain exposure conditions.

More recently, a small study published in a public health journal described, under controlled conditions and without expectation bias, that sleeping near a radiation source similar to that of a router It was associated with poorer sleep quality and changes in brain activity during deep sleep. These are exploratory and not definitive results, but they reignite the debate and justify that Some people choose to apply the precautionary principleespecially in bedrooms with children or pregnant women.

It's worth adding a common-sense point: even if you turn off your router, You will continue to receive signals from other nearby networks. (neighbors, businesses, etc.). However, reducing your own emissions can be reasonable if you're looking to minimize unnecessary exposure and it fits with your nighttime routine.

Electricity consumption: how much do you really save

Turning off the router at night saves some electricity, but Don't expect a dramatic reductionMost routers consume between 5 and 10 W; being generous with 10 W, having it switched on for 24 hours means about 240 Wh per day.

If you unplug it for 8 hours, the savings are around 80 Wh dailyThat is, about 2,4 kWh per month. At a price of €0,16/kWh, we are talking about approximately €0,79 per month and about €9,5 per yearIt's not bad, but it's not the appliance that has the biggest impact on the bill.

There is another relevant factor: these devices are designed to be always on. Many operators perform nighttime maintenance and firmware update tasksIf the router is turned off, these operations can be postponed, which in the long run sometimes results in less stable performance.

In addition, while the device is on, it reports line quality to the operator; if you turn it off every night, that communication may be interruptedAnd some providers advise against doing it systematically. In any case, if you're going to be away from home for several days, unplugging it is a good idea for security and overall energy savings.

Practical benefits of switching off your mobile phone at night

Beyond the router, where you'll really notice changes is on the phone. With active connections, even with the screen off, the smartphone sigue synchronizing data, downloading notifications, and emitting signalsAll of this translates into vibrations, flashes, and sounds that can disrupt rest.

In terms of energy, there are disparate figures depending on the use, the system, and the appsSome estimates indicate that background processes can consume between one 15% to 20% battery in one night If you have multiple services active; other more moderate tests suggest savings of between 2% and 8% by turning off Wi-Fi. In practice, the more connectivity and active services you have, The greater the difference by switching to airplane mode or at least by disconnecting networks.

Nighttime shutdown not only saves battery life; it also helps the system enter a state of optimal performance. deeper restIt avoids automatic synchronizations, backups, and constant checks. Less background activity means less RAM usage and often... un Boot more agile in the morning.

From a sleep perspective, the big problem isn't the phone's Wi-Fi, but the behavior that hyperconnectivity causes. The light from screens reduces melatonin secretion and disrupts circadian rhythmsIn fact, it has been estimated that two hours of light exposure can reduce melatonin by around 22%. The best way to rest is the tried-and-true method: keep your phone away from the bed. without the temptation to look at “what has happened”.

There's also a small privacy bonus: with WiFi turned off, the phone stops search for networks and issue identifiers (like the address) MAC real) continuously. Limiting that wireless footprint reduces the surface for attacks such as MAC spoofing in certain scenarios.

Security: less attack surface while you sleep

The early morning hours are a common time for attempted break-ins: human surveillance is reduced and It's easier to go unnoticedTurning off your mobile's WiFi reduces attack vectors, and if you also disconnect the router, you directly cut off access to the network.

This doesn't mean that leaving your Wi-Fi on will make you vulnerable to hacking; the probability is low in most cases. But those who want to take their home security to the next level can combine common sense and good practiceUse long, unique passwords, WPA3 encryption if your router supports it, keep your firmware updated, and avoid open networks.

If you decide to keep the network operational through home devices (cameras, home automation, alarms), strengthen the protection: Change default credentialsSegment networks if your equipment allows it and check the list of connected devicesThe less unnecessary exposure, the better.

Router maintenance and recommended habits

If you ever notice your internet becoming erratic, a restart often works wonders. Nighttime is ideal for this. schedule a router restart or even a few hours of shutdown if you don't need it. The device "refreshes" and, upon returning, re-establishes connections from scratch.

However, unplugging it every night isn't essential. Routers are designed to work 24/7 and, as we've mentioned, Operators often update in the early hours of the morning.If yours allows it, schedule WiFi off intervals without completely turning off the device, or use a smart plug to manage schedules without having to remember.

Another helpful tip: don't install the router in the bedroom. If you can, Place it in a common area Keep the house separate from the sleeping area and the transmitting equipment. Where feasible, prioritize wired connections (they are more stable and reduce wireless traffic in the home environment), and if you need to reduce localized interference, learn to Change WiFi channel on Android.

Also consider your actual needs. If you live in a "smart home," turn things off judiciously: some devices require a constant connection to function. On long vacations, Turning off the equipment is sensible.You save money and reduce your exposure to attacks while you're away.

Screen use in bed and “vamping”

More than Wi-Fi, what ruins sleep is the habit of taking your phone to bed. A very high percentage of people use their phone, tablet, or laptop. right before going to sleepand even wakes up in the middle of the night to "keep an eye on things." That triggers alerts, lights up the screen, and pulls you out of deep sleep.

The problem is not new and it has its own name: “vamping”, that habit of staying up late glued to screensThis is very common among teenagers. The search for nighttime intimacy and the social pressure to be available create a cocktail that reduces sleep hours and deteriorates mood.

Typical consequences of this dynamic include nervousness, irritability, lack of concentrationThis can lead to poorer performance, metabolic disturbances, and, in prolonged cases, a risk of depression. It doesn't stop there: the more exposure, the greater the "tolerance" to the stimuli, and the more time you need to be online to feel the same effects.

A note on visual hygiene: reading on backlit screens before bed can cause eye strain and discomfortIf you love to read, e-ink or paper is best; maintain a distance of 30-40 cm and use soft lighting. And if you use your bed to work on a laptop, be mindful of your posture or use appropriate equipment. force the column is paid.

With children at home, it works better to educate and agree on rules than to impose blanket bans. Establish screen-free times, especially at dinner and bedtime; encourages other routines (reading, relaxation) and, if you suspect addiction problems, seek professional help.

Simple good practices for the night

If you want to sleep soundly and, at the same time, save battery and privacy, here are some quick steps you can take starting today. They're simple and don't require you to be an "expert" at anything: It's about digital hygiene..

• Activate airplane mode Before going to sleep: cut off WiFi, data and Bluetooth all at once and avoid notifications, vibrations and invisible pings.
• If it is more comfortable for you, schedule WiFi to turn off from the phone at fixed times, or use system routines to disconnect it automatically.
• Leave your mobile phone off the nightstandEven when it's silent, the screen turns on and breaks your sleep inertia; away from the pillow, fewer distractions.
• If you keep the router turned on, the network assures: WPA3 if possible, strong passwords, up-to-date firmware, and no default keys.
• And if you can, Turn off your router at nightIt is the most decisive way to eliminate unnecessary emissions, save a little money, and reduce the attack surface.

In the absence of integrated options, a Smart plug lets you schedule Precise router power-on and power-off schedules. And some router models already include features to schedule when Wi-Fi is turned off, keeping the equipment operational for operator tasks.

What makes the difference isn't so much the router's frequency as our nighttime habits. Between minimizing interruptions, protecting privacy, and avoid the last-minute “hook”The smart disconnection in the early morning offers a reasonable mix of peace of mind, technical order and small savings that, added together, are worthwhile for more than one person.