Attention music and TV lovers: Turn down the volume!
Photo courtesy of LWYang / Wikimedia Commons
Listening to music, attending concerts, blasting movies, televisions, and video games— we rely on sound as a main form of entertainment in this modern age. The introduction of headphones allows us to hear clear, high-quality sound in the most sensitive part of our ears. But when it comes to these activities, do you ever think about the potential risk of early hearing loss?
I certainly did not— that is —until I felt a soft ringing in my ear after a four-hour earbud listening session. Mild tinnitus or not, it had me thinking: maybe these iPhone volume warnings are not something to ignore.
Many music lovers, such as myself, can agree that instrumentals and songs are necessary when participating in the triad of mundane activities: cooking, cleaning, and homework. Without these innovative technologies, we would be stuck with no stimulation— only our harrowing thoughts. Long, loud earbud/headphone sessions are so normalized that if most were asked to use headphones for no longer than 60 minutes a day and no louder than 60 percent, as the American Osteopathic Association recommended, their answer would probably be an astounding “no.”
To make matters a bit more dire, it is recommended that the louder you have your volume, the shorter your daily duration should be. If one were to listen at maximum volume, their recommended time is five minutes a day.
To be blunt, this generation definitely opts for louder music than needed. Case in point: when exercising, people blast the volume to push their bodies to extreme limits. I do not just speak for myself when I say a deafening club song can really get you running and lifting like your life depends on it.
The recent announcement of SpringFest at SUNY Geneseo and the spectacles from Coachella this month only further prove that loud music and concerts are not going anywhere, anytime soon. Even so, when it comes to these live events (concerts, clubs, sporting events, etc.), I understand that the decibel volume is out of the attendee’s control. While wearing earplugs is highly recommended— and nothing to be embarrassed by —I would be lying if I said this was a precaution I am ready to take.
Luckily, with at-home televisions, computers, and smartphones, we have the ability to turn down the volume. It is fair to say that most of our generation prefers captions for TV and movies anyway—there should be no harm in lowering the movie so your household items do not shake from its sound effects.
While it's been hard limiting my headphone time to only one hour a day (though I have been taking more breaks than usual), I have become more self-aware of the volume I leave it at. While turning down the volume is hard, oftentimes, I hardly notice the difference. And when I have the privilege of an empty house, I try to utilize my speaker so my ears can get a break from direct sound.
Life is about balance, and if blasting headphones is a must for you to be happy during your walks to class or trips to the gym, then it is hard to discourage. But simply being aware of your listening time and volume may help you moderate and adjust your lifestyle, especially for tasks that may not require your sound to be all the way up.