You think nothing of popping in your earbuds to listen to music and podcasts at alarming levels. But, is modern technology causing hearing loss? You may not be surprised by the answer.
The age bracket for people using hearing loss devices is getting lower. What does this mean? It means that younger people are experiencing hearing loss. And, it may be because of the devices they use every day.
But, how young are these people? The rising trend is that people aged 30-49 have premature hearing loss and using hearing aids. And, many reports support these figures.
The findings point to a direct link between the noise level of modern technology and premature hearing loss. One such report says that almost 66% of people who listen to personal audio devices do so at decibels that can lead to permanent hearing damage.
Precautions
The general rule is if you can hear the music someone is playing on their earphones, it’s too loud. But, how many times were you in public and this exact scenario played out for everyone with headphones? This is how prevalent hearing loss is nowadays.
However, there are things you can do to protect your own hearing. You can limit your earbud listening to only 60% of its full volume capabilities. And, limit your listening time to 60 minutes a day.
Additionally, the CDC goes one step further and suggests limited your exposure to noises that are 85 decibels or higher. If you are at a venue where that isn’t possible, they further suggest balancing out the exposure with lower decibels levels throughout the rest of the day.
Final Thoughts
You can minimize the effect of modern technology causing hearing loss by taking your own precautions. And, make small lifestyle changes. Realize that much of the hearing loss due to noise pollution occurs over time, so if you must be around it at least limit the time you are exposed to it.
