As wireless headphones such as AirPods have become a must-have in daily life, many people wear them for hours at a time, from commuting to sports to work meetings. However, long-term exposure to high-volume sounds may unknowingly accumulate hearing damage. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that more than 1 billion young people worldwide may be at risk of permanent hearing loss due to exposure to loud sounds during leisure activities.
In order to reduce the impact of earphone use on hearing, professionals often recommend following the “60-60 principle”, that is, the volume should be controlled below 60% of the maximum volume, the continuous listening time should not exceed 60 minutes, and then let the ears rest for about 15 to 20 minutes.
To reduce the impact of earphone use on hearing, professionals often recommend following the “60-60 principle”, which means the volume should be controlled below 60% of the maximum volume, the continuous listening time should not exceed 60 minutes, and then let the ears rest for about 15 to 20 minutes. (Photo/Apple)
There is a close relationship between volume and listening time. Research points out that when sound reaches about 85 decibels, long-term exposure may increase the risk of hearing damage; for every 3 decibels increase in volume, the acceptable safe exposure time is approximately halved. For example, 91 decibels is about 2 hours, 100 decibels may be shortened to about 15 minutes, and the maximum volume of some headphones can even reach 105 to 110 decibels. Continued exposure may cause harm in a short period of time.
The hair cells in the human inner ear are responsible for converting sound vibrations into nerve signals, but they may be damaged after being exposed to high-volume stimulation for a long time. Moreover, once cochlear hair cells die, they usually cannot regenerate, so hearing damage may be permanent.
When using headphones on a daily basis, in addition to lowering the volume, you can also use the “Sound & Touch” and “Headphone Safety” functions in iPhone “Settings” to limit the maximum volume, and pay attention to the hearing exposure warning provided by the device. When using headphones in noisy environments, over-ear headphones with active noise reduction function can also help reduce the risk of users unconsciously increasing the volume.
If you have persistent tinnitus, difficulty hearing high-frequency sounds, difficulty understanding conversations in a noisy environment, or having to constantly increase the volume to hear clearly, these may be warning signs of hearing loss. Rather than waiting until hearing loss occurs to remedy the problem, it is better to start protecting your ears by controlling the volume and taking adequate rest every day.
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