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As tempting as it is to drift off to sleep with your smartphone charging beside you on the pillow — so that you can hear your alarm or just in case a certain someone texts you — it also happens to be one of the biggest mistakes you can make with your phone. It seems innocent enough, but we spoke to experts about why sleeping with your phone on your pillow can actually have scary consequences. Once you find out how this one mistake can wind up costing you money, we guarantee you’ll make a little more room on your nightstand.
Your smartphone battery is very sensitive to heat. When you place it on your pillow for a long period of time, especially when it is charging, the phone has an increased chance of overheating, says Andrew Jackson, tech specialist at SellCell. “Charging your phone when you sleep can also have a serious impact on your phone's battery life,” Jackson says. “Once a phone is fully charged, it needs to be taken off charge and you won't do this if you're sleeping.”
Leaving the phone to continue charging while it is fully charged can have an impact on your battery’s general health and reduce its lifespan, Jackson says. “To extend your battery life you should try to reduce the number of times you charge your phone. So, for example, if you've got 75% battery life, then don't charge your phone. It is as important to discharge your battery as it is to charge it.”
Placing your actual phone on a pillow for hours isn’t the only thing that damages its battery. “A phone's charging cord is affected the worst when you try to charge it while keeping it on your pillow,” says Tech Expert Tushar Sharma, founder and writer at TopTech10s.in. “And a faulty power cord can totally damage a phone's battery.”
You may be wondering if the increase in heat to your phone can create a fire hazard. The answer is yes, it is a risk, but according to Sharma, this was once a bigger problem that has since been resolved with newer technology.
“Most modern-day smartphones automatically disable themselves when they get alarmingly hot,” Sharma says. “So, you won't wake up to find yourself surrounded by fire, but you might lose some of your phone's precious data.”
The reasons to keep your phone on or under your pillow far outweigh any pros for it. Shift your smartphone over to a night table or dresser so that you can rest easier knowing you and your phone’s battery will be safe.
