The World Health Organization (WHO) has come out with a report that says 28 seconds at a loud rock show could damage your hearing and that y'all should only use headphones for just an hour a day. WHO goes on to say that 1.1 billion people are currently at risk for permanent ear damage and that 43 million people between the ages of 12 and 35 are already damaged.
According to the report:
“The emerging pattern of listening regularly at high volume and for a long duration poses a serious threat.
“While it is important to keep the volume down, limiting the use of personal audio devices to less than one hour a day would do much to reduce noise exposure.”
I know this seems totally unreasonable, but WHO also says that as long as you're only putting the volume up to 60-percent on your headphones and wearing earplugs at a show, you're totally fine! WHO Director Dr. Etienne Krug says WHO isn't trying to kill your fun and knows loud music is enjoyable for a lot of people, but precaution is the key.
“What we’re trying to do is raise awareness of an issue that is not talked about enough – but has the potential to do a lot of damage that can be easily prevented.
“We do realise this is a bit of a struggle, like alcohol consumption. Risk factors linked to pleasure are not easy to change. But we have to make people aware.”
So just keep it down a little, yeah? I'm sure you, like me, want to be able to enjoy music for the rest of your lives!
Here are some more metal-related scientific studies.
[via Metal Hammer]
