110 Crore People Between Age 12-25 Risk Going Deaf From Listening To Loud Music On Headphones

City life can really take a toll on you. It's not just the smoke-clouded air, the stress, and the fast food you're subjecting yourself to on a regular basis, it's the constant noise you have to deal with.

And according to the WHO, it's making our young people go deaf, thanks to self-inflicted noise pollution.

The World Health Organisation recently released the results of a study on noise pollution and its effects on us when present everyday. They estimate that 1.1 billion people around the world, between the ages of 12 to 35, are risking hearing loss everyday.

The safe threshold for loud sounds humans can stand is 85 decibles (dB) for eight hours or 100dB for 15 minutes. Anymore than that can be painful and can damage your inner ear. To put that into perspective, normal conversation happens at about 60 decibels.

Also Read: This Man Speaking In Sign Language Over Video Chat Shows Just How Technology Is Changing India

Nearly 50 percent of teenagers and young adults then are exposed to unsafe levels of sound from the use of personal audio devices, the report says, and around 40 percent are exposed to potentially damaging levels of sound from things like clubs and concerts.

Graphic of levels of noise in daily life and the safe limits of exposure recommended by the World Health Organisation pic.twitter.com/TKWNK0xKd0

¡ª AFP news agency (@AFP) February 14, 2019

A motorcycle's noise level is about 95 decibles, which is harmful when exposed to for more than 2.5 hours. A hairdryer meanwhile sits at 100 decibels, meaning you shouldn't be sticking in so near your skull for more than 15 minutes.

Also Read: This Noise-Cancelling Kennel Could Save Poor Dogs From Bursting Cracker Noise On New Year's Eve

Listening to music on your headphones subjects your ears to 105 decibels, which is sorta kinda safe for about 4 minutes. But seeing as that's just a little over the length of one song, you're probably listening for longer. A bar or club is worse (110dB), something you shouldn't expose yourself to for more than a minute and a half. And your festival firecrackers? 150db, which you should absolutely not be in proximity to at all for any length of time.

"As they go about their daily lives doing what they enjoy, more and more young people are placing themselves at risk of hearing loss," notes Dr Etienne Krug, WHO Director for the Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention.

"They should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won't come back. Taking simple preventive actions will allow people to continue to enjoy themselves without putting their hearing at risk."