Today, headphones have become a vital part of daily lives, whether one uses them to listen to their favorite music and podcasts or simply to make calls. But, prolonged and unsafe use of headphones can cause hearing issues. However, taking the right precautions can help one safely use earphones without compromising the audio experience or auditory health. So, here are a few things that can help prevent hearing loss when using headphones:

1. Use the right type of headphones
Headphones come in many sizes, and it is imperative to choose the right type and size to prevent any lasting harm to the ears. Here, earbuds create a seal in the ears when inserted into the ear canal. These tiny devices not only amplify the bass of the audio but also increase the pressure created by the sounds and have the potential to cause harm to the eardrums. However, open-backed headphones allow air to flow in and out of the ears and help reduce pressure on the ears. These headphones also add distance between the earbuds and the audio. So, choosing the right headphones can be great for the ears.

2. Choose noise-canceling headphones
One may often turn up the volume of the earphones to drown out the background noise. But one of the drawbacks of doing that is that the more background noise there is, the higher the volume one may have to maintain. But if one wants to enjoy their music without compromising ear health, noise-canceling headphones are the perfect option. Equipped with active noise reduction technology, the headphones eliminate background noise and let one concentrate on their audio without turning the volume all the way up.

3. Limit listening time on headphones
One of the best ways to prevent hearing loss or damage associated with continuous use of headphones is to follow the 60-60 rule. Here, if one constantly uses headphones, they can limit the listening time gradually. So, they can set a limit of 60 minutes to listen to anything that is louder than 60% of the volume. After which, they should turn the volume down. Following this rule can help one reduce headphone usage, helping prevent hearing damage.

4. Set a volume limit
In addition to manually turning down the volume, one of the best ways to prevent hearing loss when using headphones is to set a volume limit in the phone’s settings. This will help prevent ear damage even with continuous earphone usage. One can check the user manual of their phone to understand how to set a volume limit.

5. Choose good quality headphones
Headphones that produce clear and good-quality audio output need not be expensive. There are always premium headphones that can cost $50,000 or $100,000. However, to get crisp audio, one only needs to choose the right type and brand within their budget. Today, many new headphones are designed to produce excessively bassy audio that is loud but not clear. So, one should check the audio quality of the available options and then choose a pair of affordable headphones that offer instrumental and vocal clarity.