Q: I wear earbuds to sleep, during Zoom calls and while working out. Are they damaging my hearing? And if so, how does the damage compare with other headphone styles?
If you’re trying to prevent hearing damage while using headphones, “there’s an easy rule of thumb,” Portnuff said. “It’s called 80 for 90 — you can safely listen at 80% of the max volume for a total of 90 minutes a day.” If you listen at a quieter level, you get more time, if you listen at a louder level, you get less time. If you’re listening at 60% of the maximum volume or lower, generally, “you can safely listen all day every day,” he said.
To combat background noise without amping up sound levels, Portnuff and Fink recommended choosing headphones that block out background noise. Earbuds that fit snugly and snuff out external sounds, over-ear headphones that seal around your ear, and any listening device with noise-canceling technology are all good options.