It looks like an urban legend might be true...sort of. Everyone's heard the one about how cell phones can give you cancer, but a new study reveals that cell phone usage might actually be affecting the way people sleep.

In a study conducted by Karolinska Institute and Uppsala University in Sweden and Wayne State University in Michigan, USA, scientists have found that participants exposed to the same level of radiation emitted by cell phones an hour before going to sleep caused many of them to take longer to reach a deeper level of sleep and spend less time there. This in turn lead to less satisfying, unhealthier sleep.

One scientist believes this inability to get to sleep faster is caused by radiation activating a part of the brain which causes people to become alert. By activating this area, it takes longer for men to relax and prep for sleep.

While studies are still being conducted on the effect of cell phones on men's health, there's no denying that irregular sleep can cause a multitude of health problems. For guidelines from MenScience on how to get a good night's sleep, read our article here.

And what's a good rule of thumb? Don't talk on your phone an hour before heading off to dreamland.

Labels: cell phones, lack of sleep, men's health, mens health, menscience, sleep, sleep apnea, sleep disorder