Music has a way of connecting with a listener. To some people the, love of music goes to an extent where it doesn’t matter whether it is day or night; they want to keep it playing all the time. But what does sleeping with earbuds danger have to do with listening to music every night?
This article discusses the impact of earbuds for sleeping and helps you find out whether they are safe to use overnight.
We know for a fact that earbuds are such devices that you can use to listen to music.
Not only are they private, they also project clearer music in which one can clearly notice the cord arrangements, voice projection, and all other aspects of music that hi-fi enthusiasts consider amazing.
These devices are also a suitable choice for listening to podcasts, because they extract the listener from his or her immediate environment, enabling them to keep focus and gain the best out of the session.
Earbuds for music have become a popular choice for many for obvious reasons:
- They are light, compact, and easier to carry around – unlike headphones, which are rather bulky.
- They tend to be less expensive and are easier to conceal in places where over-the-ear headphones would be appear too conspicuous.
However, they have also raised health concerns, especially because a few people have reported cases of damaged ears after prolonged use.
What Sleeping With Earbuds Danger Means
They are simply the risks you are highly likely to subject your ears to if you sleep with earbuds in.
More often than not, the danger of using earbuds during bedtime may arise due to any of these reasons:
1. The Nature of the Earphone
This is something to do with the external design of the earphones, how they fit into the ears and if your skin is allergic to the material.
Take people who have latex allergy, for example.
They should first replace the contact cups with a material that they are not reactive to. Of course, some earbuds come with optional fabric covers but you can also buy them separately.
2. The Sound Level and Length of Exposure
The quality of sound earbuds produce can determine whether it is dangerous for you or not.
Sound quality is critical in these gadgets because they deliver sound very close to the sensory hairs in your ear. Therefore, before buying one, ensure that it has good noise canceling power.
Noise canceling feature built-in a sleeping headset refers to the ability of the in-ear headphones to stop unintended sounds from reaching your ears.
These sounds arise due to the collisions between different sound waves and are among the major causes of hearing damage among people who use earbuds to go to sleep.
More often than not, the lack of noise cancellation feature force listeners to turn the volume way high in order to be able to listen to some notes.
Quality headphones, however, generate counter noises, which muffle out the unwanted sounds. This ensures that the sound that reaches your ears is clear and intended.
With or without good earbuds, loud music is not good for the ears during sleep.
Many devices today warn their users when they pass the safe volume limits, and it is important that you observe this.
If you have to listen to very loud music, do it only for a few seconds or minutes.
Remember, the possibility of damaging your ears increase with the length of time you keep the music loud.
3. Hygiene Concerns
With earbuds, hygiene concerns take the center stage since it is very easy to acquire infections from them when they are not kept clean.
Accumulation of wax, sweat, or other body fluids may lead to bacterial buildup in the crevices, which may cause ear infections to the wearer.
Owners of these gadgets should ensure that they wipe them often with a clean cloth that has been dampened in either clean water or alcohol.
Moreover, you should treat earbuds like a personal effect and avoid sharing them. Some ear infections like Otitis are barely noticeable from the outside.
When someone who has an infection wears your earbud and you end up wearing it too, chances that you may acquire the same increase.
Another challenge of wearing earbuds for a long period has to do with earwax. The buds may push earwax to the middle ear. Accumulated wax can cause an ear to swell and become painful. You therefore need to remember to apply ear drops once a while if you use earbuds often.
Should You Listen to Music during Sleep?
Whether or not it is appropriate to listen to music during sleep is still controversial.
While some studies show that sleeping with music in your ears may actually improve creativity, others have countered this claim, saying that night music may not be good as it keeps the brain active at a time when it should get rest.
In that case, it is upon you to work with what’s best for you. Try listening to music overnight and see if you are comfortable with it.
Also, see what effect this will have on your productivity the following day. If the experience is good, then you don’t have to turn off your music during sleep.
Many people also prefer to listen to music as they get to bed but turn it off when they get sleepy.
Bluetooth earbuds would make an excellent music companion to go to bed with.
Tossing and turning in bed can easily cause damage to corded earbuds as you might subject the cables to a lot of tension. There is also the risk of strangulation, but this is minimal. Being cordless, Bluetooth headphones do not pose such risks.
Safety Tips for Sleeping Well With Earbuds In
Earbuds are not a bad choice if you know how to use them well. You can sleep in them provided you observe the following safety requirements:
Do not play the music too loud.
Remove the earbud if it makes you uncomfortable at night or if it affects your productivity. If you feel exhausted or disoriented after you’ve used earbuds overnight, sleeping with one in your ear wouldn’t be wise.
Remember to keep your earphones clean and check your ears often for any signs of infection.