Headphones, music and hearing health: staying within safe limits

Personal audio devices make it easy to carry music everywhere, but they also increase the risk of noise‑induced hearing loss. WHO’s Make Listening Safe initiative warns that more than one billion young people may be at risk because of unsafe listening habits.

How loud is too loud?

Organisations such as NIOSH and ASHA use exposure‑time rules:

• around 85 dB is considered safe for roughly 8 hours per day;
• every additional 3 dB halves the safe time;
• at 100–105 dB, typical for clubs and maximum headphone volume, safe exposure is measured in minutes.

Safe listening tips

• keep volume at or below 60–70 % of the device maximum;
• limit continuous listening to about 60 minutes, then take at least a short break;
• use well‑sealing or noise‑cancelling headphones so you do not have to overpower traffic noise;
• treat ringing or muffled hearing after listening as a warning sign and turn volume down.

Children and teens

Children’s ears are more vulnerable. Professional groups such as the American Academy of Audiology recommend:

• volume‑limited headphones for younger users;
• parental monitoring of listening time;
• explaining why situational awareness (hearing the street) is important for safety.

When to see a specialist

• persistent or recurring tinnitus (ringing);
• difficulty understanding speech in noisy places;
• frequent comments from others that your devices are “too loud”.

You do not have to give up headphones to protect your hearing. Following evidence‑based advice from WHO, NIOSH and hearing‑health experts lets you enjoy sound while keeping your ears safe for years to come.