Can keeping your phone in your left shirt pocket affect your heartbeat? Cardiologist reveals if it is safe or not

Find out from a specialist whether keeping your phone close to your heart is safe and if its placement can affect your heartbeat.

For convenience's sake, many people keep their phones in their left shirt pocket, making it easy to take calls or check messages. But is that pocket too close to the heart for comfort? Can vibrations and wireless signals affect your heartbeat? With claims about smartphones affecting heart health circulating on social media and in everyday conversations, should you reconsider this habit? And is there any truth to these concerns?

We asked a specialist to provide a medical perspective on these worries. Dr Samir Kubba, director and unit head of cardiology at Dharmshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Delhi, helped bring medical insight into the discourse that a phone in a pocket causes abnormalities in heart rhythm and who should be careful. But there are some people who need to be careful. We answered some of our questions.

What happens when your phone sits close to your heart?

FInd out if phones can disrupt your heartbeats! (Picture credit: Freepik)

Your shirt pocket sits close to your heart, and your phone emits radiofrequency signals. But can these signals interfere with your heartbeat or adversely affect your heart health?

The cardiologist answered, “Sure, smartphones use radiofrequency signals to communicate with mobile networks and other wireless devices. But these signals are non-ionising, meaning they do not have enough energy to directly damage DNA in the way ionising radiation, such as X-rays, can.”

Dr Kuba elaborated that current scientific evidence has not established that everyday exposure to smartphone radiofrequency signals causes heart rhythm disorders in the general population.

Why do you think your phone is affecting your heart health?

But why might you feel more aware of your heartbeat when carrying your phone close to your body? There is an explanation for this, and it does not necessarily mean your heartbeat has changed.

The cardiologist described, "A phone vibrating against your body can make you more aware of sensations in that area. If you are already anxious or particularly attentive to your heartbeat, you might notice normal bodily sensations more readily.”

In other words, being more aware of your heartbeat does not necessarily mean you have an abnormal heart rhythm.

Can a phone in your pocket change your heart rhythm?

Addressing these concerns, the doctor clarified, “There is no convincing evidence that ordinary smartphone use or keeping a phone in your left pocket causes abnormal heart rhythms in healthy individuals.” But he urged people with certain implanted cardiac devices to take precautions.

Who should be careful?

Most do not need to worry about keeping a phone in their shirt pocket; the cardiologist cautioned those with implanted cardiac devices. The worry is that the magnets in some phones may affect these devices when held too close.

“Some phones and other electronic devices contain magnets that can temporarily interfere with certain implanted cardiac devices, including pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), if held very close,” the doctor mentioned, highlighting why people with these devices need to be mindful of where they keep their phones.

Holding a phone too close to an implant may temporarily change how the device operates. Dr Kubba said, “These devices help regulate heart rhythm or deliver treatment for dangerous rhythms. Strong magnetic fields can sometimes activate a special mode in a device or temporarily affect its function. People with implanted cardiac devices should follow their device manufacturer's advice about phone placement and safe distances."

Finally, the expert reassured that, for most people, there is no established reason to avoid keeping a phone in their pocket out of concern that it might disrupt their heartbeat. If you experience palpitations or a sensation of skipped beats, do not automatically blame your phone.

Caffeine, stress, dehydration, poor sleep, and underlying heart rhythm conditions can all contribute. If palpitations occur alongside chest pain, fainting, or severe breathlessness, seek urgent medical attention.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.