A good song or a loud environment can tempt us to turn up the volume on our music players. Unfortunately, listening to music too loudly through our headphones can cause permanent damage to our hearing. In fact, hearing loss is on the rise in teens and young adults. Here are five ways to enjoy your music while protecting your hearing health.
1. Never Use Music Players at More Than 60% of The Maximum Volume
Did you know that music players can produce max volumes of 100 decibels or more? At that level, hearing damage can occur within 15 minutes! Keep your volume at 60% of the maximum. Some music players can physically apply this setting too and warn you if you try to exceed unsafe listening levels.
2. Do Not Use Your Music Player For More Than 60 Minutes A Day
High decibels can produce hearing damage rather quickly, but decibels above 80 can produce hearing damage in a matter of hours. Give your ears a break from your earphones after 60 minutes of music listening. Your hearing health is worth it.
3. Purchase Noise Cancelling Headphones
Noise cancelling headphones are popular among DJs and sound engineers and are great during plane rides. These headphones block out environmental sounds, allowing you to hear a clear audio, thus reducing your temptation to turn the volume up. Alternatively, you can use regular cushioned headphones. When going to concerts or other places where music is played very loudly, carry some ear plugs with you.
Note: avoid wearing noise cancelling headphones when you’re out and about. You should always be visually and audibly aware of your surroundings!
4. Use Over the ear Headphones
Over the ear headphone (also known as supra-aural earphones) sit on your ear rather than in them like ear buds and canal phones. These earphones are connected with a band that stretches over your head. Supra-aural earphones don’t send sound vibrations directly into your eardrum. A consistently direct sound vibration can damage your hearing overtime.
5. Don’t Use Your Earphones in Loud Environments
It’s tempting to turn up the volume on our music players when we are in noisy areas, but this subjects us to dangerous volume levels. Wait until you are out of these areas before listening to music. You’ll hear better without all that sound anyways!
Follow these tips and you can listen to your music safely and enjoyably wherever you go!
