February 13, 2022

The Safe Way to Rock Out With Earbuds or Headphones Without Damaging Your Hearing

Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable

A man wearing a green shirt and sitting at his laptop working while wearing white earbuds

Whether it’s jamming out during a workout session or starting the morning with a podcast, many of us spend time every day with earbuds blasting sound into our ears.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

While these little sonic feeding tubes can ease our minds and moods with satisfying sounds, they can also damage our hearing.

But with a little awareness and effort, it’s possible to prevent that from happening.

Balancing volume with length of listening

“Volume level and length of listening are the two things that need to be balanced to prevent noise-induced (or sound-induced) hearing damage from headphones or earbuds,” according to audiologist Sharon A. Sandridge, PhD.

“Listening at 80% volume for a maximum of 90 minutes at a time is the general rule of thumb,” she says. “It really is an inverse relationship between how long and how loud. If you are listening for an amount of time longer than 90 minutes, the volume should be reduced so that the longer you listen, the lower the volume.”

Types of devices

Aside from volume and length of listening, the particular listening device you’re using can also make a difference.

Advertisement

There are three types of ear listening devices, each with their own benefits and drawbacks.

  • Over-the-ear headphones encase your ear and are often better at canceling outside noise. The better sound quality allows you to listen at a lower volume, too. However, they’re not as portable or convenient to store as earbuds.
  • Earbuds allow more outside noise to enter your ear, which could be safer if you’re outdoors, near traffic or in close quarters with other people. “However, people tend to increase the volume to dangerous levels in areas with a lot of ambient noise,” Dr. Sandridge notes.
  • Isolating earbuds have rubber tips that seal the ear canal. They’re good for blocking outside sounds, but can be dangerous for runners or cyclists who need to be aware of their surroundings.

No matter the design you choose, Dr. Sandridge says people shouldn’t be afraid to spend a little extra for better earpieces.

“Higher quality headphones or earbuds provide a higher fidelity sound, so you are less likely to rely on the volume to enhance the fidelity,” explains Dr. Sandridge.

The reality of hearing loss

Many devices allow outputs to go much higher than 85 decibels (dBs), which can be a problem because many listeners, especially younger ones, don’t realize the long-term damaging effects.

“Early, repeated exposure to loud sounds results in inner ear damage, which is permanent and may not be experienced until later in life when it is too late to prevent it,” Dr. Sandridge says.

Advertisement

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 17% of Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 have hearing loss that may have been caused by exposure to loud sounds.

“Repeated damaging sounds can age the ear 50% faster,” says Dr. Sandridge. So, by the time you’re in your 50s, you may have the hearing of someone who’s in their 80s.

To be safe, Dr. Sandridge offers up this general advice: “If someone who’s standing an arm’s length away can hear the music coming from your headphones or earbuds, or if you raise your voice to speak to someone while you’re listening to something, it’s too loud.”

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

person adjusting ear bud in ear
March 6, 2024
Take Good Care of Your Ears: Tips for Ear Hygiene and Hearing Protection

Care for your ears by steering clear of cotton swabs, taking precautions in loud settings and seeking medical help when needed

person holding up finger to ear in social setting
August 22, 2023
How To Navigate Hearing Loss in Social Settings

There are lots of tips, tricks and assistive devices out there that can help

Man sitting in airplane seat experiencing ear pressure pain.
October 17, 2022
How To Pop and Unclog Your Ears

There are a few safe ways to relieve this uncomfortable pressure

Megaphone blasts sound into the ears of elderly person with cane
April 11, 2022
Can Hearing Loss Lead To Dementia?

Keeping your brain healthy is key

illustration of woman getting her hearing checked by doctor
November 2, 2020
Tinnitus: 5 Strange Reasons for Ringing Ears

Understand the symptoms and find relief

Trying to communicate with while wearing mask
October 19, 2020
How To Communicate Clearly While Wearing a Mask

Make it easier to hear and be heard

doctor holding a hearing aid
July 14, 2020
Hearing Aids: How to Pick the Right Type for You

Four steps to getting the perfect hearing aids for your lifestyle

hearing problem
May 31, 2020
Sudden Hearing Loss: Don’t Ignore This Ear Emergency

The quicker you seek treatment, the better

Trending Topics

Person in yellow tshirt and blue jeans relaxing on green couch in living room reading texts on their phone.
Here’s How Many Calories You Naturally Burn in a Day

Your metabolism may torch 1,300 to 2,000 calories daily with no activity

person getting a sinus massage between brows
5 Sinus Massage Techniques To Relieve Pressure and Promote Drainage

A gentle touch in all the right places may help drain your sinuses

woman snacking on raisins and nuts
52 Foods High In Iron

Pump up your iron intake with foods like tuna, tofu and turkey

Ad