According to new studies, long gaming sessions with too much volume on your ears could affect your hearing in the long term.
Source: Photo by Fredrick Tendong on Unsplash
Various studies recently published in BMJ Public Health warn of the dangers that can arise from excessive gaming at high volume. Tinnitus or even long-term hearing loss can occur as possible consequences.
Not only the volume but also the duration of the noise exposure plays a role. According to the research, adults can tolerate noise levels of up to 80 dB for up to 40 hours per week without serious problems. This corresponds roughly to the noise level of a passing car or a busy main road.
However, people who regularly play shooters – whether professionally or as a hobby – expose themselves to noise levels between 80 dB and 119 dB through their headsets. Three different studies independently confirm this. According to WHO (World Health Organization), adults should not be exposed to noise levels above 90 dB for more than about 1 hour and 15 minutes per week as this could cause hearing damage. For children, the thresholds are even lower.
What to do to prevent hearing damage?
A BBC report recommends reducing the volume in games by around 50 percent. In many games, the music and the effect volume can also be adjusted separately. Sufficient breaks are also advisable. About 5 minutes every hour is ideal so that the ears can recover. In a noisy environment, it is also worth switching to noise-cancelling headphones in order to be able to block out additional annoying outside noises. As always, you can find a large selection here at ALTERNATE!