Sleep & neurological concerns

My late wife was teaching in a sick building in San Francisco in 1989 and was environmentally injured. Because of this we got involved in a support group for people with similar difficulties. Over the years, because of my involvement with that group, I've met many people whose neurological reactions to environmental exposures resulted in them developing sensitivites to wireless technology. I don't know anyone who was actually injured by using wireless technoclogy, but I know plenty of people who cannot tolerate being around electro-magnetic radiation. This has profoundly interfered with being able to work and even with access to many buildings. I don't know the ins and outs of legislative issues surrounding this, but I do know that telecommunications companies have managed to pass laws that even make it illegal for residents of a community to oppose cell towers and 5G technology on health grounds. I have read that In 1996 the telecom industry got a law passed to bring toxic wireless radiation to market with no safety testing, and no accountability for harm. Obviously something is not right about that. Since the issue is now in the forefront, I support all possible caution and investigation into these issues rather than a continued violation of consumers' rights to protection from harm.

For the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Re-evaluation of Radiofrequency limits and policies. I am participating as a member of the public affected by health damage caused by wireless technologies (specifically, by a mobile phone tower) but I will incorporate references from peer-reviewed scientific studies to support what I am going to relate. My story: I experienced ten years of progressive decline in my physical and cognitive health with multiple symptoms that doctors couldn't explain (severe sleep disorder confirmed by polysomnography, contractures and intense muscle and joint pain, exercise intolerance confirmed by stress tests, dysautonomia confirmed by tilt table testing , attention, memory, and concentration deficits confirmed by tests, vitamin D deficiency, and hyperparathyroidism). After those ten years without a diagnosis, I received, in this order and over the course of eight years, the following successive diagnoses: fibromyalgia (FM), myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)—doctors told me these were chronic and incurable diseases—a cellular problem (a 40% deficiency of coenzyme Q10 confirmed by skin biopsy and fibroblast analysis, indicating mitochondrial dysfunction), multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), and finally, electrohypersensitivity. (EHS). I underwent genetic testing, and no mutations were found in the genes responsible for producing coenzyme Q10 or in my mitochondria. I was a primary school teacher and a secondary school teacher, but physical and cognitive problems prevented me from continuing to work. I was granted disability benefits, and my life was completely disrupted for many years. I received the diagnosis of electrohypersensitivity after undergoing microwave and low-frequency current therapy for a knee sprain. This treatment, which didn't occur immediately but took several days, caused severe muscle worsening (cramps and involuntary movements of the treated muscles every few seconds ) and a decline in my overall health (sleep problems, pain, exercise intolerance, etc.). I was diagnosed with EHS not so much because I had developed new symptoms, but because the cause of the symptoms I had been suffering from for many years had been discovered. This medical diagnosis is supported, in my case, by medical certificates from an endocrinologist, a neurologist, and an internist. I was advised to have my house measured. It was then that I discovered something I was completely unaware of and would never have connected to my symptoms: I had lived for 25 years facing a cell phone tower, located about 250 meters away, whose antenna pointed directly at my house without any obstruction. When I checked the data on the official Spanish government website regarding that antenna, I discovered that it was emitting between 200 and 2,000 times more than any other antenna or in any other direction. The reason was that there were no antennas beyond my house, and the coverage of a large part of the city was covered by the emissions from that antenna directed toward my house. In 2016, they installed more cell phone antennas, and the emission levels toward my home decreased, but the damage had already been done; the sensitization of my central nervous system and the cellular damage had already occurred. Some symptoms, such as insomnia and muscle tension, began as soon as I moved into that house, but the decline in my health was slow, progressive, and insidious. It reached its peak many years after I moved in and only subsided after I was treated with high doses of coenzyme Q10 and after actively avoiding electromagnetic pollution. My symptoms are not caused by immediate exposure to EMFs, but rather by chronic and cumulative exposure. I experienced a worsening of my condition during and after the COVID -19 lockdown, as a new 5G frequency had been introduced to the antenna beforehand. In 2020, I decided to leave my house and move to a rural area where the nearest cell tower is 2 km away and I have no electromagnetic pollution. Over the last few years, I have experienced such improvement that I have fully recovered my physical and cognitive abilities. The symptoms of all the central sensitization diseases that I had been diagnosed with as chronic and incurable have disappeared, and I have also been able to significantly reduce my coenzyme Q10 dosage since moving. Scientific evidence related to my case: My experience, supported by scientific studies, leads me to believe that not only electromagnetic hypersensitivity, but all central sensitization disorders (fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, and EHS) may be caused by, or at least closely related to, electromagnetic pollution. These disorders are generating enormous medical, occupational, social, and economic costs, are cutting short many lives, and affect millions of people worldwide. Scientific studies provide ample evidence to support my argument. The effects of wireless technologies have only been regulated for acute exposures and thermal effects, not for chronic exposures or biological effects. Current limits ignore years of accumulated scientific evidence demonstrating health risks even at currently regulated levels. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36253855/ ICBE-EMF 2022. 130 years of scientific studies on the biological effects of EMF and RF, from chronic exposures, carried out in Russia, show that, beyond thermal damage, the main biological damage occurs in the central nervous system and in cells. https://www.emf-portal.org/en/article/57904 Grigoriev et al 2024 . https://www.researchgate.net/publication/399258297_Adverse_Effects_of_Electromagnetic_Fields_on_The_Central_Nervous_System_A_Review Oguzhan et al 2025 Cellular oxidative stress, neurological damage, and DNA damage are the effects of RF and the low-frequency EMFs that modulate them that have the greatest scientific consensus, according to the Bioinitiative Report . https://bioinitiative.org/ RF EMFs generate oxidative stress capable of altering cellular function and metabolism: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33917298/ Mevissen et al 2021 Damage to the central nervous system, metabolic and cellular problems, alterations in antioxidant levels, and cellular oxidative stress have been described and could explain the symptoms of the so-called central sensitization diseases (we will use this term for practical reasons to refer to FM, CFS, MCS, and EHS, although the damage seems to occur far beyond the central nervous system). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18191990/ Yunus 2008 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2011.02428.x Carruthers et al 2011 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33235303/ Piras et al 2020 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21845158/ De Luca et al 2011 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20424583/ Codero et al 2010 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20417529/ Cordero et al 2011 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24812443/ De Luca et al 2014 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27454111/ Velyaev et al 2016 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32289567/ Stein et al 2020 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34298941/ Belpomme et al 2021 DNA damage and altered antioxidants have been found in people living near mobile phone base stations. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28777669/ Zothansiama et al 2017 French researchers have established a molecular definition of electrohypersensitivity (EHS) by analyzing fibroblasts from affected individuals. They concluded that these cells have difficulty managing their own oxidative stress and exhibit spontaneous DNA breaks and genomic instability. They found that this would make EHS individuals more sensitive than the general population to the oxidative stress generated by ionizing radiation. (It seems logical that this could also make them more sensitive to cellular oxidative stress caused by chronic exposure to non-ionizing radiation.) They characterized two subgroups within EHS individuals: one with a tendency toward premature aging and another with a tendency toward cancer. Further research in this area would be very interesting, including exposing fibroblasts from individuals with EHS and other central sensitization diseases to non-ionizing radiation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40429933/ Sonzogni et al 2025 It is important that the cells of the affected individuals, not the individuals themselves, are exposed to modulated RF radiation. Exposure levels are already regulated to prevent immediate effects, let alone perceived or subjective effects. The most significant damage results from chronic exposure. People should not be chronically exposed to what harms them. If the exposure is occasional, insufficient, or short, it is not enough to demonstrate causality (except in allergy tests, but EHS is not an allergy). This invalidates provocation studies methodologically. Neither ionizing nor non-ionizing radiation is perceptible to the senses, nor should its immediate health effects be subjectively perceived, as the damage occurs at the cellular, metabolic, or neurological level. The studies chosen to verify the health damage of RF should be genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, or proteomic, but on cells, not directly exposing people, as would be done for any other toxicological damage or for any other disease. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34229366/ Leszczynski 2021 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39866356/ Leszczynski 2025 But we will not limit ourselves to EHS: the symptoms and etiology of all central sensitization diseases can be explained, to a large extent, through the effects of low-frequency EMFs and RF on biology and health: Martin Pall's research has described how central sensitization diseases are caused by the NO/ONOO cycle of cellular oxidative stress, which leads to an excess of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite . Subsequent research by the same scientist identifies electromagnetic fields (EMFs) as the cause of this cycle because they cause the excessive opening of voltage-gated calcium channels in cells, generating cellular oxidative stress and an excess of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite (the NO/ONOO cycle). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11461161/ Pall 2001 https://pubmed.nc b i.nlm.nih.gov/23802593/ Pall 2013 Along these same lines, Dimitris Pangopoulos had been publishing since 2000 that polarized electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce cellular ionic oscillations that generate excessive opening of voltage-gated calcium channels, causing cellular oxidative stress that affects the cell membrane, ion exchange, and the electron transport chain. According to this researcher, all high-frequency wireless radiation (RF) is modulated by low-frequency EMFs, which are what produce the biological and cellular effects. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34617575/ Panagopoulos et al 2021 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40547468/ Panagopoulos et al 2025 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42002914/ Panagopoulos et al 2026 EMFs have the capacity to alter mitochondrial function, producing significant changes in certain antioxidant enzymes—which, as we have seen, are also being found to be altered in several of the reviewed studies in people with central sensitization diseases. Oxidative stress is involved in both cancer and aging. EMFs can have therapeutic effects, but they can also have harmful effects if doses and long-term exposure time are not controlled. This calls into question the limits for wireless technologies set by ICNIRP in 2020 or those maintained by the FCC, which only consider acute and isolated exposures, but not chronic exposures. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39456490/ Gurham et al 2024 In this regard, the ICNIRP itself acknowledges, in its 2020 review of limits, that one of the mechanisms by which RF can harm health is through changes in the permeability of cell membranes : “If the pulse is intense and brief, exposure to the resulting electromagnetic fields can cause cell membranes to become permeable, which could lead to other cellular changes. However, there is no evidence that the radiofrequency element of an electromagnetic field (without the low-frequency component) can cause sufficient changes in the permeability of cell membranes.” The parenthetical statement inserted by ICNIRP is misleading. Panagopoulos explains that all radio frequencies are modulated with low frequencies. ICNIRP tends to include laboratory studies in its reviews where the radiofrequency is pure and not modulated with other radio frequencies, but in real-world applications, all radio frequencies (mobile phones, antennas, Wi-Fi, etc.) are modulated with low frequencies. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32167495/ ICNIRP 2020 Pulsed electric fields are being used in medicine with controlled doses and durations to permeabilize the cell membrane through electroporation, but this can affect voltage sensors, disrupting the entire functioning of the cell membrane. This could lead to pathological effects if exposures are chronic. https://pubme d .ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32559411/ Rems et al 2020 A systematic review compiles the damage to cells and neurons caused by exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). It has been repeatedly demonstrated experimentally that exposing neurons to EMFs in a laboratory, under controlled conditions, causes damage. The central nervous system is particularly sensitive to this damage. The harm is more severe when exposures are chronic. https://pubmed.n c bi.nlm.nih.gov/33945157/ Bertagna et al 2021 A systematic review of animal studies reveals the ability of radiofrequency (RF) to alter neurotransmitter metabolism and function, resulting in a disruption of the excitatory-inhibitory balance of neurons and the central nervous system. This leads to, among other consequences, cognitive problems and decreased learning and memory capacity. This imbalance between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters is also being observed in central sensitization disorders. https://pubmed.nc b i.nlm.nih.gov/34485223/ Hu et al 2021 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21913179/ Foerster et al 2012 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28033157/ Pyke et al 2017 Voltage-gated calcium channels, which we have seen are particularly affected by RF EMFs, are also related to pain, so prevalent in central sensitization diseases. https://pubmed.n c bi.nlm.nih.gov/35501819/ Harding et al 2022 RF EMFs are capable of altering the electroencephalogram of animals and humans, revealing changes in brain function and waves (particularly affecting alpha waves, which are associated with relaxation, concentration, memory, and sleep). This, combined with the inhibitory-excitatory imbalance of neurons caused by EMFs , as previously mentioned, could explain the dysautonomia present in central sensitization disorders. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40363190/ Torkan et al 2025 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11812390/ Lyskov et al 2001 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2011.02428.x Carruthers et al 2011 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34684066/ Murga Gandasegui et al 2021 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12122925/ Martínez Lavín et al 2002 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17626612/ Eisinger 2007 RF EMFs are also likely to disrupt sleep. Specifically, interindividual differences have been found that may be influenced by genetic factors. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39534742/ Bijlsma et al 2024 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40541756/ Sousouri et al 2025 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2571467 Carter et al 2016 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21489004/ Schmid et al 2012 Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are being used experimentally to activate and deactivate genes, which can have therapeutic effects but is also likely to produce negative health effects, since cellular electrical mechanisms, membrane potentials, and ion channels appear to underlie this capacity for genetic activation and deactivation. Experiments have shown that certain RF frequencies can modify brain RNA. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41985457/ Kim et al 2026 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33826908/ Levin et al 2021 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35435088/ Dasdag et al 2022 RF EMFs are likely to amplify the effects of other environmental toxins that are already causing numerous health problems and may also be closely linked to the etiology of central sensitization disorders. We all have a multitude of chemical substances in our blood, and studies suggest that EMFs may be permeabilizing the blood-brain barrier, allowing these substances to reach the brain. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31991167/ Kostoff et al 2020 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33071139/ Sueiro-Benavides et al 2021 https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/6253 Havas et al 2025 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19345073/ Nittby et al 2009 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25598203/ Tang et al 2015 Eighty percent of those affected by central sensitization disorders are women. There are specific sex differences in the effects produced by electromagnetic pollution. The main factors involved in these differences include the Heart orientation and position, cardiac mass, tissue conductivity, hormonal modulation, autonomic balance, and cortical field organization. Beyond sex, consistent findings demonstrate that biological effects depend not only on field intensity and frequency, but also on polarity (north/south) and the direction (vector angle). These parameters are often overlooked or not reported in published work. Some observations even suggest a direct relationship between polarity and sex, with divergent physiological and behavioral outcomes. It is essential to conduct sex-differentiated research on the health effects of RF, specifically include women in research, and report research results separated by sex. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41618935/ Nelson 2026 Conclusion: It can still be argued that the current limits for wireless technologies are safe despite all the accumulated scientific evidence to the contrary. Central sensitization disorders can still be treated with antidepressants, which will worsen the underlying cellular and mitochondrial imbalances and damage—initially, after my diagnosis of fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, I was treated with low-dose antidepressants, and this caused a dramatic deterioration in my health that did not subside until they were discontinued, probably because they were worsening already severely impaired cellular function. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10836141/ Wallace et al 2000 If we continue to deny peer-reviewed scientific evidence, the accumulated damage and suffering will result in human, social, labor, and economic costs that may prove unbearable for our economies and societies. It is essential to begin applying the precautionary principle by honestly reviewing current limits in light of current scientific evidence and investing in research and medical training. In particular, it is necessary to investigate the so-called central sensitization diseases that have emerged and spread rapidly in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, affecting billions of people worldwide, predominantly women. Their potential link to electromagnetic pollution should be a priority area for research and prevention. Risk assessment needs to be different for populations such as children, pregnant women, older adults, people with implanted medical devices, workers with high occupational exposure, people with pre-existing medical conditions, and people affected by central sensitization diseases, for the reasons already stated. Blanca Salinas Álvarez Blanca.salinas.alvarez@gmail.com

I was living a total "normal life" with a partner and three children, working as a carer in many different homes. Since a young age I had occasionaly migraines and suffered from those, but in 2020 they became very reccurent and so sore to the point where I thought they was blood dripping inside my scalp around my brain. They got so bad that I ended having some ophtalmic migraines followed by hemiplegia migraines. I also have had a few tiny strokes !!! I used to sleep up to 2 hours tops at night no matter what I did. I then realised that my headaches were getting worse in some places I worked at, and not so bad in others. At home it wasn't getting any better. I by miracle (and I say miracle otherwise i'd probably be dead by now) understood that the wireless exposure were the things that made me have EMR Syndrome symptoms just by swtiching my wifi off one night. I started minimising my hours at work and obvisously the work placements therefore I wouldn't suffer as much. I then had to run away from home because even by doing all that, things weren't getting any better as they was a 5G antenna 400 meters away from my house... I had to leave everything, and lost everything just because I was living in a microwave that i never asked for and didn't want to end up burning up like a piece of alluminium in a micro wave. I now live in a safe place with hardly any neighbours, don't go out, don't see anyone unless they switch their wireless equipement off such as mobile phones, connected watch, Bluetooth items etc etc ! All of those things have to stay away from the house I where live now. I sleep in a Faraday cage, and use the strict miminum the electricity. I can't go to the kids school parties, go to weddings, go on holidays, see family etc, all I can do is stay isolated at home, it isn't fair at all as I never asked or even needed all this technology to destroy me and my life. This has to stop as I am sure many people are sufferring around the world and probably being called pshychos when in reality they are far from it.

This is my experience with radiofrequency (RF) radiation. It has greatly impacted the quality of my life. I'm old enough to remember a time when there were no cell phones, laptops, wi-fi routers or TVs, Smart meters, etc. It was a more calm and peaceful existence. Since this technology has grown, so have my health issues. I have sleep issues, fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, tinnitus all which lift when I remove myself from the reach of these technologies. I sleep and feel better if I turn off our wifi router and opt-out of smart meters. It is a form of torture for me. It is a stressor. It is to the point where there is no escaping the reach of this technology. There is no where to find refuge from this advancing technology. I grew up in rural Nebraska. My husband and I were at one time planning on retiring there in the home that his parents built. About 5-10 years ago, a cell phone tower was built about 100 yards from the house. To be there is pure chaotic torture for me. I can't live there. I spent over $1000 to buy "harmonizers" from emf Solutions, a company that specializes in calming electromagnetic frequencies. This "remedy" only helped a little. Is this fair? Please refer to the Bioinitiative Report (2012, with Subsequent Research Updates). There is electromagnetic sensitivity on the neurological system. Please do something about this. There seems to be an abundance of studies that prove that EMF's are now a serious epidemic which causes a significant percentage of disease we now face. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this burgeoning issue. Please go to non-biased organizations like: www.Bioinitiative.org/conclusions or www.emfscientist.org.

Hello, I need to avoid wireless exposure at least 2 hours before retiring to avoid delayed sleep onset. Thank you for your consideration. Paula

I live in a condo and realized I am wifi sensitive meaning, I feel Stimulated from all the neighbors wifi and have disrupted sleep. When I am away from wifi such as a beachside Cottage, these symptoms disappear.

I am one of the growing number of people who has had my life disrupted from wireless devices, even though these common devices meet the current FCC guidelines. I became ill in 2012 when a smart meter was installed on my home with no notification of dangers to my health. I became ill with a condition known as Electromagnetic Sensitivity, which sounds mild enough, but has been a devastating life change. I have been misled by the US government, the FCC, and the wireless industry who state that the radiation that made me ill is safe. It is unusual to recover from this condition once one has become seriously ill as I have. When I am exposed to radiation from wireless sources such as cell phones, Wi-Fi, cell towers, wireless smart meters, and other wireless devices, I experience adverse health effects including headache, nausea, dizziness, exhaustion just from brief exposures. Brief exposures take three days or more to recover from. If the exposure is longer, even at very low levels of radio frequency radiation, recovery can take three to six months during which I am too ill to risk leaving my house. Longer exposures cause a headache which does not resolve for months, prolonged dizziness and profound exhaustion along with skin rashes, insomnia, systemic edema, metal confusion and difficulty concentrating, stomach and joint pain, and irritability among other symptoms. Recovery is slow and partial, it does not return me to health, just a more functional level of existence. Before the effects on my life from developing wireless radiation sickness I enjoyed an active social and creative life. I painted and exhibited my work in galleries. I enjoyed social dancing and was taking five dance classes a week learning tango and salsa that I drove an hour away from home for. These activities are no long possible. Once the smart meter was installed I became so seriously ill that I could barely care for myself and repeatedly requested that the utility company remove the meter. I was diagnosed with Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, but my doctor's letter was ignored by Edison. Finally, nine months later an analogue meter was installed and I assumed I would get well. That did not happen. It was necessary to totally change my life. I had to get rid of my mobile phone, cordless phones, microwave oven, and now have to sit over two feet away in order to use my wired computer and have to be three feet away from electric appliances in order to use them. I can not travel anywhere in a car without reacting to cell towers. I can not go into stores because of wi-fi. I can not go anywhere in public, church, concerts, art galleries, etc. because almost everyone carries a cell phone. At this point I am confined to my house. Friends shop for food and deliver it for me. I only leave my home a few times a year for dental and eye appointments. I have consultations with my physician by phone to limit exposures. I am very isolated from direct human contact. The FCC adopted its human exposure guidelines in 1996 based on science from the 1980's. This ignores the large and growing body of science showing biological harm even at non-thermal levels. Please read and respond to the link to one of these studies below. Becoming Electro-Hypersensitive: A Replication Study. Dieudonne, M. Bioelectromagnetic 40:188-200. (2019).

I first noticed a reaction to electromagnetic radiation in 2008. At the time, I was working as an IT manager and was responsible for setting up mobile and wireless devices for employees. I began experiencing a sensation of electrical disturbance or mild electric shock when the devices were held close to my head or body. The sensation was difficult to describe but I would compare it to the feeling of having a “static TV” inside my body. I found it difficult to concentrate, felt nauseous and dizzy when this happened. At the time I had no knowledge of EMF or EMR and ignored the strange sensations. As the years passed, I began noticing these sensations more frequently and with greater intensity, coinciding with the proliferation of cell towers, Wi-Fi and mobile devices. At the time, I knew very little about the potential effects of radiation exposure but I naturally began avoiding it as much as possible. I simply knew that I felt better when I was not in proximity of wireless devices so I used phones and computers connected through wired connections rather than wireless technology. In 2018, after several weeks of commuting to work by train, my reactions to radiation exposure became significantly more severe. Almost overnight, I began experiencing symptoms that developed into chronic fatigue syndrome. During rush hour in Chicago, I observed that train cars were often filled with an estimated 50–75 people actively using mobile phones in each car. This was a striking contrast to my commutes in 2008, when I recall seeing no more than about 10 people using mobile devices in a train car. Over that decade, I had witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of wireless devices in crowded public spaces, while my own symptoms had become progressively more intense. This health issue forced me to take a leave of absence and eventually resign from my position as an IT Manager. My symptoms had become so debilitating that I could no longer fulfill my professional responsibilities or tolerate the daily commute to work. After visiting several doctors, I was told that nothing appeared to be medically wrong with me, as their examinations and tests had not identified any underlying health issues. Despite the severity of my symptoms and the profound impact they had on my ability to work and carry on with daily life, I was left without a clear explanation for what I was experiencing. I began researching my condition independently and came across a TEDx talk on YouTube titled “Wireless Wake-Up Call” by Jeromy Johnson. His presentation resonated deeply with me, as the experiences he described closely mirrored what I had been experiencing. This discovery prompted me to explore grounding as a way to manage my symptoms. After I began grounding, I noticed what felt like an immediate improvement in my condition. Within a few months my chronic fatigue had subsided and I was able to function normally again. Although my chronic fatigue improved significantly, I continued to experience the same sensations when exposed to high levels of electromagnetic fields. Living in Chicago has become increasingly challenging and I have to be selective about the areas I visit. Unfortunately I avoid certain areas of the city, including parts of downtown, where the deployment of 5G towers has saturated the environment with radiation. Thank you for taking the time to consider this important issue. I urge the government to review and update existing safety standards for electromagnetic fields (EMF) and electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure to ensure they reflect the latest scientific research and findings. I believe a more comprehensive, evidence-based approach to evaluating potential health risks is essential to protecting public health and ensuring that safety guidelines keep pace with the rapid expansion of wireless technology.

My name is Mana Washio, and I currently live inSpringfield, MA. I became EHS in 2013, when my husband and I lived in Watertown, MA. While we were on vacation, NSTAR came and installed a bank of infamous Smart Meters. Our bedroom was surrounded by them, and there were also two circuit breaker panels underneath our bedroom (because we lived on the 1st floor). We also had a WiFi router in our bedroom, without knowing its harm. Immediately after the Smart Meter installation, I started having piercing headaches, as if someone was inserting an ice pick into my brain. It was SO bad, I could not sleep at all. I also developed all sorts of GI issues, heart palpitation, chest pain, concentration difficulties, and so on. My symptoms subsided when I went away from my home, and it became worse when I came home. I also felt VERY strong pain standing right in front of the Smart Meters outside, so I knew what was causing the problem. EHS diagnosis was extremely difficult to attain, because there are VERY few doctors who could diagnose. I was only able to get one in 2022, after moving to RI. I was a performing musician for many years, but large concert venues where people gather with their cell phones became the hardest place to work. I was forced to completely switch my career, and now I work from home as a Health Coach & a Reiki practitioner. Although I love my current job, I had to start all over and had completely different training before I was able to start making decent salary. In July 2023, I took the National Board Exam for Health and Wellness Coaching. 3 years ago in 2020, I actually took the same exam but miserably failed, due to the severe short-term memory and vision issues I developed due to the high EMF exposure at the test site. Even though I had requested, I was not given any accommodations I needed. So I forced myself to go into the test center. In 2023, I submitted the accommodation request again, along with the formal EHS diagnosis from MD and two supporting letters. I also explained what happened to me 3 years ago. But they did not give me the necessary accommodations right away. My accommodation request was only granted after I wrote the 3rd letter to them, quoting directly from the Department of Justice website, under the “Exams and Courses” section for people with disability. After the approval, I was finally able to bring in a few EMF shielding materials. Thankfully, my short-term memory and vision were intact this time, and I passed the exam. It is VERY clear that the EMF safety standards set by FCC is grossly outdated and inadequate. I strongly urge FCC to immediately review the current safety standards, and truly reflect the harms of these manmade radiation. They are THOUSANDS of published, peer-reviewed scientific studies from independent scientists (who have NO monetary ties with the industry) that clearly show EMF's biological harm, and you simply cannot continue to ignore the significant impact it has already made to people, animals and environment.

I am writing regarding the FCC’s response to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals’ remand concerning its decades-old radiofrequency (RF) radiation exposure guidelines. The Court directed the FCC to provide a reasoned explanation for its determination that its guidelines adequately protect humans against harmful effects of RF radiation unrelated to cancer. Specifically, the court required the FCC to address the impacts of RF radiation on children, the health implications of long-term exposure, the ubiquity of wireless devices and technological developments, impacts on the environment, and the adequacy of the FCC’s testing procedures for cell phones and other portable devices. The FCC should fully consider evidence and real-world experiences concerning the health and environmental impacts of wireless radiation, including non-cancer health effects, impacts on children, long-term and cumulative exposure, cancer, and impacts on wildlife and the environment. Here is just one study I believe the FCC should review when addressing the concerns about wireless radiation: BioInitiative Report (2012, with Subsequent Research Updates): Updated Research Summaries https://bioinitiative.org/updated-research-summaries/ – Collection of scientific research concerning neurological effects, oxidative stress, DNA damage, genetic effects, and electromagnetic sensitivity. Individual summaries have different update dates, including 2022. The 1996 limits rest on outdated thermal assumptions and ignore more than 500 studies showing non-thermal biological effects—oxidative stress, DNA damage, neurological harm, reproductive impacts, and effects on children and wildlife—at levels far below those limits. No adequate safety testing exists for modern pulsed, cumulative, or 5G exposures. Children, long-term residents, pets, and the environment remain unprotected. The FCC is not a health agency and does not have expertise in medicine, biology or public health. Yet, the agency continues to assert authority over RF exposure standards and is preparing to reach conclusions about whether its existing guidelines adequately protect the public. I urge the FCC to recognize the critical role of federal health agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and to rely on appropriate health and biological expertise when addressing the issues identified by the court. This issue matters to me personally because: I have experienced headaches, insomnia, tinnitus, heart rhythm changes, and various other effects from nearby cell towers, or when near cell towers and wireless sources. These symptoms are not isolated; they are consistent with non-thermal biological effects documented in the scientific literature and affect my daily health and well-being. As a certified wildlife rehabilitator, I have also seen and witnessed animals and birds of various types negatively harmed by proximity to these facilities. As a health counselor, I have seen and tried to help people with heart rhythm problems and irregularity, anxiety, stress, insomnia, tinnitus, head and body pain, headaches, migraines, and other common effects associated with these exposures. I do not consent to, and expressly withhold my consent for, any RF radiation, electromagnetic emissions, or wireless frequencies from cell towers, Wi-Fi routers, cell phones, or other wireless telecommunications facilities being directed at or towards me, my person, my family, my home, or my state and country. I urge the FCC to give meaningful consideration to the experiences and evidence before it and to fully address each of the issues identified by the court.