How to reduce radiation exposure from your mobile phone

ILLUSTRATION - If you sleep with your phone near your bed, it's a good idea to turn on flight mode in the night to reduce radiation exposure. Photo: Christin Klose/dpa

Does mobile phone use increase the risk of brain cancer? Possibly, concluded the International Agency for Research on Cancer – part of the World Health Organisation – in a headline-grabbing report in 2011. And the jury is still out. 

While there is no clear evidence that mobile phones are a health hazard, it can’t hurt to take steps to reduce your radiation exposure, according to German radiation expert Jan Henrik Lauer, since “risks from long-term use of wireless devices cannot be ruled out at this time”.