Charging your phone while you sleep can be harmful to your health

It's a commuter's nightmare -- sitting down on the bus or train only to discover that your phone battery has hit the red. How will you check those all important emails now? Or post that amusing Tweet you just thought of?

A simple solution might be to charge your phone overnight, so it's ready to go when you are, but as it turns out, this might not be the best idea. Experts have warned that sleeping by a charging phone could in fact be bad for us.

According to David Gale, of Gale & Snowden, an eco-architecture firm, our nervous system operates on very low voltage electricity.

"Our brains use electricity to send messages to our muscles. For some people the man-made alternating current that powers our homes can interfere with these processes," he said.

For this reason, some people may find it difficult to sleep near a charging phone or other electric item.

It's also important not to place a charging phone on your bed or under your pillows while you sleep, as this can pose a major fire risk. This is because the battery heats up while the phone is plugged in and sometimes it can get so hot it catches fire.

According to Dominic Littlewood, a consumer affairs expert, you should instead try placing your phone in a saucer while it charges. "That way, if gets hot at least the saucer isn't going to catch alight. It's going to protect you a little bit."

However there aren't only risks to yourself that need to be considered. Charging your phone overnight can also cause damage to your phone.

Experts at PC Advisor don't recommend charging your battery to 100 percent. "But constantly doing a full recharge will shorten the battery's lifespan."