They say music soothes the soul; it is in fact one of the most proven ways to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily living. We listen to music when we are inspired or need to be. We play our favorite tunes to encourage and relive happy thoughts or get over painful memories. Other than that, the powerful blending of melodies and tunes has been proven to provide medicinal benefits, proving that it has transcended the entertainment dimension.
Younger music listeners tend to be more passionate about what they listen to. It’s not uncommon to find a sea of youngsters crowding concerts listening to loud music and singing their hearts out. And when alone in their room, they turn up the volume of their favorite songs to keep them relaxed, happy or focused.
But about a billion people within the age of 12 and 35 risk developing hearing loss because of listening to music, according to the World Health Organization. This habit is essentially a beautiful thing, but what are we doing wrong? Here are 3 music listening habits that are damaging to your ears:
1 – It’s too loud!
Regular music listening is definitely fine but don’t go beyond the 70% maximum volume. In a normal conversation, your voice level is at the 60-decibel mark, so keep the noise level to a minimum and know your limits. If you prefer your music volume cranked up to 88 decibels, limit your listening time to no more than 4 hours straight. If you’re in a rock concert, a club, a bar or sports event, keep yourself away from the speaker – your ears can only tolerate so much!
2 – You’re doing it too often
Listening to music on a regular basis isn’t a bad thing, but do learn to give your ears a rest. Loud, rock music is particularly unsafe for you and should not be listened to using your headphones for over 2 minutes.
3 – You are using those little ear buds
Headphones are the better option over earphones. The little buds that are inserted into the ears are much closer to the eardrum, increasing the risk of damaging it especially with constant and loud music. Earphones don’t block background noise either so listeners tend to turn up the volume to hear the music much more clearly. This can be dangerous for you.
Get Your Ears Checked Right Away
Attentively listening to your body lets you uncover issues and prevent them from getting worse. A difficult time hearing, a persistent ringing in the ears or similar distractions that keep you from fully hearing noises and voices are definitely no small matter. When you seem to be dealing with hearing issues, you should get your ears checked – the sooner, the better.
Did you know that ignoring your hearing problem only compounds the issue? When left untreated, you may experience fatigue, increased stress, lessened energy and diminished memory that can ultimately lead to social avoidance, heightened risk to personal safety and significantly reduced productivity.
It goes without saying that prevention is still the best way to go. But it is equally important that when the issue becomes too complex for you to handle on your own, seek professional help. Don’t delay; set an appointment with a reputable ear specialist to help you point out the problem, its root cause and other possible health issues that link to it. Ultimately, this is a powerful way to address the issue before it’s too late.
