Almost everyone prefers to listen to music, podcasts, or videos through headphones at the highest possible volume, so that all surrounding noises disappear and we can be fully immersed in the content we’re consuming. However, this habit is far from beneficial to your ears, to say the least, and in fact, a recent analysis by the Acoustical Society of Americashows that the younger generation is facing serious damage to their hearing ability as a result, partly because they use headphones frequently while their inner hearing system is still developing. The World Health Organization estimates that 50% of people aged 12-35 are at risk due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds through headphones, but older adults can also suffer from this, and it can be prevented as long as action is taken in time.
Note: Losing Hearing Ability Is Not Normal
"I think that in general, the ear doctor community and the public don’t understand that hearing loss is not a normal part of aging, but rather stems primarily from frequent noise exposure," says Dr. Daniel Fink, chairman of the board of the Quiet Coalition. He compares this misunderstanding to the mistaken belief that the appearance of deep wrinkles and pigmentation spotsis a natural aging process of the skin, when in fact the main cause is known to be excessive sun exposure. "Similarly, without exposure to loud noises, we could hear well even in old age, but that’s very difficult in industrialized societies," he adds.
How Does Hearing Loss Affect Health?
Fink and hearing expert Jen Maias reviewed findings from several studies, ultimately concluding how people use audio systems (portable devices for playing music). The main realization was that those using audio systems with headphones suffer widespread hearing damage. "This is especially true for young people... personal audio systems are the primary source of their noise exposure," says Fink. "By the time they reach midlife – around age 40 – they’ll struggle to hear as well as their grandparents did at ages 70-80."
Even more surprising is that, in addition to losing the ability to communicate effectively, it can also negatively impact their cognitive state. According to a 2011 studycomparing people who lost their hearing to those who didn’t, it was found that those with poor hearing were at greater risk of developing dementia. In fact, those with moderate hearing damage were twice as likely to suffer from dementia, those with severe hearing issues were three times more likely, and those with nearly complete hearing loss were found to be five times more at risk.
Mary L. Carson, a hearing impairment specialist, adds an important detail to this information – the use of hearing aids reduces the risk of dementia development. "Nevertheless, preventing the problem in the first place is still the preferred way to address it," she says. This is essentially a long-term investment in health.
How to Keep Listening with Headphones Without Damaging Your Hearing?
"We live in a noisy world, yet many people voluntarily expose themselves to high levels of noise that negatively affect them in the long term... In my clinic, we recently saw a young person with a perforated eardrum due to listening to loud music," Carson recounts. Her recommendation is to listen to music at a volume not exceeding 70 decibels.
"It’s likely that sounds below 70 decibels won’t damage hearing even with prolonged exposure. However, repeated exposure over time to sounds above 85 decibels can definitely cause hearing problems," Carson explains. Fink adds, "The best indicator of whether you’re listening to music at a normal volume is to check if you can hear others without difficulty – that’s a sign you’re listening at less than 75 decibels."
While some portable devices warn you when you’re listening to music at too high a volume, others don’t, and even that warning often comes too late. As a rule of thumb, experts recommend not exceeding 50% of the device’s maximum volume capacity.
To ensure you’re not harming your hearing, it’s even recommended to download an app that checks the decibel level you’re listening at and confirms you’re not exceeding 70 decibels. Click here to download one for Android and click here to download one for iPhone. Additionally, it’s advisable to regularly check your hearing annually if you’re over 50 or have been exposed to high noise levels for a prolonged period. "If you notice changes in your hearing ability or hear ringing in your ears, it’s recommended to get your hearing checked immediately," says Carson.
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