At What Volume Should I Listen to Music With Headphones?
With the immense shift to technology, a lot of products have been designed to facilitate the shift. One of the most sought out products of the digital era are the headphones.
Several phone companies have resorted to making these products for their customers most notably with the Apple air pods.
As they make these products, they have to take into consideration the health of their customers.
Despite designing these products within standards, customers rarely know how to use them in a way that does not impede on their health.
At What Volume Should You Listen to Music With Headphones?
According to regulations by the World Health Organization, it is highly advisable to set your headphones at a volume level of 70 decibels for a maximum of 8 hours. This could also work if you maintain a sound level of 75 decibels over 8 hours.
With this in mind, companies release headphones at sound levels within the range 75db to 136db. Since manufacturers of the headphones are different, you should use an app to measure the sound level at different volumes for your listening device.
What is a decibel?
A decibel (db) is the unit used to measure the intensity of a sound. This is what is measured when testing the authenticity of sound instruments like amplifiers and attenuators.
It is also used in digital imaging, optics and telephony.
What to consider when using headphones for music
Most headphones are made with a maximum sound level of 100 decibels which could be deafening over a long period of time. However, you could also take in some other factors when selecting the headphones to use for music.
a) Specifications of the headphones you are using.
Several headphones companies design their products basing on the intended end user. There are different markets to serve including music industry, gaming industry and headphones suited for work. It is advisable to use the headphones designed for work to play music.
They are usually equipped with quality noise cancelling features making even the low sounding music seem so loud.
The headphones designed for the gaming industry are not usually suitable for avid music lovers.
b) Guidance from professionals.
This might seem hard but you should look out for what the experts say. The experts in this scenario are the otolaryngologists.
A long name recognized in the medical field for doctors that treat ear, nose and throat ailments. Under the World Health Organization, these experts give guidelines on the sound level to subject to your ears as regularly as possible.
c) Measure the decibels using apps downloadable to your phone
If you already know that 70db is what you are looking for, you are better off testing your desired headphones using an application that measures sound.
These apps are available on the play store for Android and the App store for IOS users. They include Sound meter, Db meter, Decibel and Decibel X.
These applications shall help you measure the sound of your headphones at various levels. This shall help you understand whether you’re losing your hearing or your ears are just fine.
Effects of listening to Music loudly
Despite having loads of fun, there is a negative side to listening to very loud music. The effects include:
- Tinnitus
- Imbalance
- Hearing loss
- Reduction in sensitivity.
The biggest downside is that you cannot tell how bad this is until people start screaming at you.
Final Thoughts
Mind the volume you listen to music. If you get higher than 85 decibels, you are at a high risk of losing your hearing within a relatively short period of time.
Remember, this is a silent epidemic silently affecting people all over the world. Be cautious; do not become another bad statistic.
Citations
- World Health Organization, WHO-ITU global standard for safe listening devices and systems, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/deafness/make-listening-safe/standard-for-safe-listening/en/.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Noise Abatement and Control. (1974, March). Information on levels of environmental noise requisite to protect public health and welfare with an adequate margin of safety Retrieved from https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/2000L3LN.PDF?Dockey=2000L3LN.PDF [PDF].
This content should never be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
