For How Long Can You Wear Earbuds?

July 22, 2021 Brian 67 Comments

Last Updated on September 25, 2024 by Brian

For How Long Can You Wear Earbuds?

According to the WHO, more than a billion young people are at risk of impairing and even losing their hearing due to their love of loud music. The study was conducted among people aged 12–35 who often listen to music on iPods and smartphones through Earbuds, and this is almost 50% of young people in developed countries.

The WHO considers it unsafe to have a noise level of more than 85 dB, which a person is exposed to for several hours. Scientists have indicated that the acceptable listening time of loud music in the 100 dB range is limited to 15 minutes.

Contrary to popular stereotypes, the damage is caused not by the proximity of the noise source but by its intensity. Listening to music with headsets within the recommended limits is safer than playing it at total volume in the speakers.

For comparison, the noise at the level of 80 dB is comparable to the sound of a switched-on mixer or a freight train passing by. 100 dB is a jackhammer working next to you or an aircraft approaching a landing within a radius of 1-2 km.

Scientists do not presume to argue that the ubiquity of earphones has influenced the statistical deterioration of hearing among young people. For example, a study by the University of California, involving more than 7 thousand people, was conducted over 22 years, from 1988 to 2010. It did not confirm a noticeable deterioration in the respondents’ hearing, despite the rise in popularity of portable players and smartphones during this period.

Another experiment involved people aged 20–69 years. The experiment involved 3831 people, in whom doctors found an average hearing loss of 2%. Scientists believe that this is the result of age-related degenerative changes and not the consequences of using headphones.

Additionally, Scientists recorded the decibels of music that young people were accustomed to. As a result, it was noted that prolonged exposure to loud sounds over several years is directly associated with a decrease in the hearing threshold.

Few admit that they prefer thunderous sounds that irritate the ear. Many do not notice that the decibel level has crossed the threshold. Instead, people turn up the volume, trying to drown out extraneous sounds – the noise of the subway, the hum of the crowd, and the unpleasant playlist of the taxi driver.

Increasing the volume is especially dangerous when using slight in-ear buds. They have a small speaker, so you have to turn the sound to the maximum. The harm of wireless earphones also does not exclude partial or complete hearing loss.

If you are concerned about tinnitus, headache, and hearing loss, see your doctor. The doctor will order further examinations and give recommendations. In most cases, it is enough to reduce the listening time to music or buy other headphones; you will not have to give up your favorite tracks while jogging.

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