The risks of excessive headphone use

More and more people are using headphones these days

Whether it’s for listening to music, exercising, or working.

The Risks of Overusing Headphones

As more people use headphones, whether it's for music, exercise, or work, it’s important to be aware of the risks.

Taking Care of Your Ears Reduces Excessive Use of Headphones

Subsecretariat of Health Prevention and Promotion

Excessive headphone use has been linked to several health problems, including:

• Hearing loss (Hypoacusis): A gradual decrease in the ability to hear caused by listening to headphones at very high volumes.
• Tinnitus: A ringing or buzzing sound constantly heard in the ears.

There are preventive measures to protect your ears from the potential damage caused by excessive headphone use, such as:

• Don’t use headphones in very noisy environments because you tend to turn up the volume to block out the noise.
• Use an appropriate volume, meaning no higher than the noise level on the street.
• For every 45 minutes of headphone use, take a 15-minute break without them.

It’s also important to note that

Walking or biking with headphones at high volumes increases the risk of serious injury or death because you can’t hear warning sounds around you.