Hope Father Christmas brought you something for your listening pleasure. Being able to listen to crystal clear tunes for hours on end, is definitely a great way to recharge your soul.
Unfortunately your state of the art personal listening device can easily switch from a blessing to a health hazard, so in this week’s NeurotechnologyTip we focus on safer listening habits.
On track for serious hearing loss before middle age
Without being a party pooper – LOUD is hard going on your ears. And long spells of LOUD, are particularly tough going on your sound sensing equipment.
LOUD is actually a silent “killer”, because the damage is happening but it is occurring under the radar i.e. you really don’t notice. By the time you start noticing a decline in your ability to hear things properly, there is a lot of damage, damage that can’t be undone.
Being hard of hearing when you ninety in the shade is unpleasant, but expected. Being hard of hearing when you’re thirty or forty will be devastating.
Teen listening habits investigated
Researches from Tel Aviv University studied the music listening habits of 289 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 to better understand the risks.
As part of the study, the listening habits of the teenagers were assessed. The team also eavesdropped on the volume blasting through the devices of some of the teenagers in the study, in different settings.
The researchers reported
- 80 % of the teens used their personal listening device on a regular basis.
- 21 % hooked in for 1-4 hours a day,
- 8 % listened for more than 4 hours consecutively.
Dangerous decibels
Taken together the habits and the LOUDNESS – the researchers concluded that 1 in 4 of the teenagers in their study were putting their future hearing at risk.
Takes steps to protect you hearing.
Little things can make a big difference….
- Opt for over-the-ear headphones instead of ear buds – this will allow you to experience the full impact of the music at a lower volume
- Turn down the volume (even if it is just a little)
- Take regular breaks – loud for long periods is more damaging than loud for shorter bursts.
To wire up your brain a little each week ………………..
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Further reading
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| Tickling the ivories today, tickles the neurons for a lifetime | Blood pressure meds going for a song | Did you know that you have taste buds in your ears ? |
The 7 Big Spoons™…. are master switches that turn health on.
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| Balance Eicosanoids | Rein in insulin | Dial down stress | Sleep ! | Increase Vit D | Culivate microflora | Think champion |
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Did you learn something new or do you have a different perspective ? I’d love to hear from you so post me a comment below