Are dangerous decibels drowning out your music

Hope Father Christmas brought you something for your listening pleasure. Being able to listen to crystal clear tunes for hours on end, is definitely a great way to recharge your soul.

Unfortunately  your state of the art personal listening device can easily switch from a blessing to a health hazard, so in this week’s NeurotechnologyTip we focus on safer listening habits. 

On track for serious hearing loss before middle age

Without being a party pooper – LOUD is hard going on your ears.  And long spells of LOUD, are particularly tough going on your sound sensing equipment.

LOUD is actually a silent “killer”, because the damage is happening but it is occurring under the radar i.e. you really don’t notice.  By the time you start noticing a decline in your ability to hear things properly, there is a lot of damage, damage that can’t be undone.

Being hard of hearing when you ninety in the shade is unpleasant, but expected. Being hard of hearing when you’re thirty or forty will be devastating.

Teen listening habits investigated

Researches from Tel Aviv University studied the music listening habits of 289 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 to better understand the risks.

As part of the study, the listening habits of the teenagers were assessed.   The team also eavesdropped on the volume blasting through the devices of some of the teenagers in the study, in different settings.

The researchers reported

• 80 % of the teens used their personal listening device on a regular basis.
• 21 % hooked in for 1-4 hours a day,
• 8 % listened for more than 4 hours consecutively.

Dangerous decibels

Taken together the habits and the LOUDNESS -  the researchers concluded that 1 in 4 of the teenagers in their study were putting their future hearing at risk.

Takes steps to protect you hearing. 

 Little things can make a big difference….

• Opt for over-the-ear headphones instead of ear buds – this will allow you to experience the full impact of the music at a lower volume
• Turn down the volume (even if it is just a little)
• Take regular breaks – loud for long  periods is more damaging than loud for shorter bursts.

Preferred listening levels of personal listening devices in young teenagers: Self reports and physical measurements. International Journal of Audiology (2012) Chava Muchnik, Noam Amir, Ester Shabtai, Ricky Kaplan-Neeman.  

 

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Further reading

Tickling the ivories today, tickles the neurons for a lifetime	Blood pressure meds going for a song	Did you know that you have taste buds in your ears ?

The 7 Big Spoons™…. are master switches that turn health on.

Balance Eicosanoids	Rein in insulin	Dial down stress	Sleep !	Increase Vit D	Culivate microflora	Think champion

Hire Dr Sandy from a Spoonful of Science to be the keynote speaker at your next event.

Did you learn something new or do you have a different perspective ? I’d love to hear from you so post me a comment below