Why Using Headphones At The Gym Might Be Riskier Than You Think
The time we spend working out is often a welcome retreat from everything else we have to get done outside of the gym. So we get why you want to take that extra long post-workout shower, splurge on the leggings that make you feel your best, and pump up your greatest hits playlist to max volume. Yes, finding routines that make you feel great while at the gym will likely make your workouts even more effective. We don't want to discourage you from doing whatever it is that helps you enjoy your workouts, but you may want to rethink using your headphones while working up a sweat.
According to Health24, your greatest hits playlist or your favorite weekly podcast may be distracting you from your workout. It's wonderful that you want to maximize the enjoyment of your workout, but be cautious that you don't waste valuable time scrolling through your messages or getting lost in the blackhole of YouTube. If you insist on using your phone's earbuds, remember to stay focused on your repetitions and make sure you have the correct form. Additionally, make sure the music isn't so loud through your headphones that other gym goers become distracted by what you are listening to.
Your balance and hearing may suffer from headphones use
Speaking of being considerate of others, you should also consider turning the volume down or leaving the headphones in your locker for health reasons. According to Healthy Hearing, wearing headphones for too long or listening to music too loudly can eventually cause hearing loss. Yes, you heard that right — there is such a thing as noise-induced hearing loss. Once the parts of your ear that are crucial for healthy hearing have been damaged from noise, they can't be repaired.
In addition to hearing loss and becoming distracted, Health24 notes you should also rethink using headphones at the gym to keep your stability in place. If you repeatedly listen to loud sounds via headphones, then you are at risk for damaging the vestibular system in your inner ear which can impair balance.
If giving up your podcast or playlist at the gym is not an option, then we highly recommend you make the extra effort to clean your headphones thoroughly and frequently. Ear Rockers reminds us that our headphones can quickly get dirty with buildup from sweat, wax, and dead skin cells. Ear infections caused by dirty headphones is a common side effect for avid earphone users.
As previously stated, the time you spend at the gym is an excellent retreat from all the pressures in your daily life. Just make sure that your ears don't suffer as you sweat to stay healthy.