“Listen To Music No More Than One Hour A Day,” Advises World Health Organization
The World Health Organization has issued a warning against listening to too much music too loudly after releasing figures showing 43 million people between the ages of 12-35 already suffer from hearing loss.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has put a spotlight on the danger of listening to too much music too loudly. If you're planning on kicking off your weekend at your favorite club or bar, you might want to pay a little more attention to what your ears do on the way home. The ringing that we brag "lasts for days" after leaving is permanently damaging our hearing.
The rise of EDM hasn't helped things either. With clubs boosting the subwoofer capacity to cater to the scene, the music blasting through the speakers might be enjoyable now, but won't be when you can't hear it. Of the 43 million people 12-35 who have already experienced hearing loss, 40% were exposed to damaging levels of sound at clubs and bars.
WHO went on to suggest, “While it is important to keep the volume down, limiting the use of personal audio devices to less than one hour a day would do much to reduce noise exposure.” Clearly, people are not going to stop listening to music, and they're not likely to cut it back to 1 hour per day, but other steps can be taken to prevent hearing loss like using noise canceling headphones or earplugs at live shows.
WHO presented these safe listening times:
- 85 dB – the level of noise inside a car – eight hours
- 90 dB – lawn mower – two hours 30 minutes
- 95 dB – an average motorcycle – 47 minutes
- 100 dB – car horn or underground train – 15 minutes
- 105 dB – mp3 player at maximum volume – four minutes
- 115 dB – loud rock concert – 28 seconds
- 120 dB – vuvuzela or sirens – nine seconds
Once you damage the sterocilia in your ear from continued loud noise exposure, the damage is for life. Major festivals such as Electronic Daisy Carnival and Coachella are taking steps to protect attendees' hearing by providing earplugs to each patron.
Its completely understandable that you don't want to be "that guy who wears headphones to the club" but two little ear plugs can go a long way in preventing damage that lasts a lifetime.
“Electronic Daisy Carnival and Coachella are taking steps to protect attendees’ hearing by providing earplugs to each patron. ”
Who wants to wear earplugs? Why not just reduce the volume?