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Given how busy we all are (all of the time), convenience is key these days. If you can plug your phone into a charger at night, drift off to sleep, and then wake up to a device that’s ready to go, why would’t you do so? Unfortunately, there are a few problems with this charging method. But don’t worry: the solution isn’t going to take up time from your day and your phone will still be there for you when you need it. Tech experts say this is the worst nighttime charging mistake you should never make.
You’re Leaving Your Phone Charged ALL Night
The biggest mistake you’re making when you’re charging your phone overnight is simple: you’re charging your phone overnight.
“In most cases, your phone probably needs only an hour or two to hit 100%,” says Tech Expert Miranda Yan, founder of VinPit. “Leaving it plugged in longer is pointless. When your phone reaches 100%, the charger will continue to top off the charge during the night. Such a “trickle charge” attempts to keep it at 100% to compensate for the small bit of charge that your phone just naturally loses on its own.”
Keeping your phone charged for long periods of time means it is constantly being bounced between a full charge and a bit below a full charge, Yan explains. “These trickle charges can lead to higher ambient temperatures for your phone, which can reduce capacity over time,” Yan says. “Moreover, it’s widely known that heat damages the battery capacity. And when you sleep while the phone is charging overnight, you can’t monitor its temperature. You simply can't overcharge an iPhone, or any other modern electronic device, for that matter.”
Tech Expert Caroline Lee from CocoSign agrees: “During overnight charging, your phone continually uses a battery to stay working, and when consumption happens, recharging happens. And this [leads] to a hell of a short-lived battery for whoever isn't able to change their phones every year or two.”
Easy Solutions
Since the overnight charging problems are the result of wanting to find a convenient way to charge your device, the solution has to be as convenient.
Lee says the good news is that smartphones now come with fast charging that doesn't take hours to charge completely. Giving your device quick charges while you’re showering or eating breakfast can get the job done fast.
“A simple solution for this is to plan your nighttime charging so it’ll be full before you sleep,” Yan says. “In other words, avoid charging phones overnight altogether. If you have a fixed bedtime, plug it to charge 2 hours (or less, depending on charging speed and battery level) before that.” It may be slightly more inconvenient than overnight charging, but the result is worth it: a “perfectly battery-healthy” solution, according to Yan.
