Most of us can only sleep in this day and age while listening to music. This is mainly due to the noise around us in metropolitan cities, from the outside streets, any construction going on nearby, or any procession happening in the city. Sleeping with earbuds or headphones is often highly important for frequent travelers to keep off other passengers’ noise. As such, these days sleeping with either of the two is becoming ever more normal. Let’s look at some of the effects of sleeping with headphones or earbuds.
Is Sleeping With Headphones Or Earbuds Safe?
Sleeping with earphones, earbuds, or headphones can be safe when used appropriately, and they will help you fall asleep more easily. You have to be careful about the volume of the sound in the case of headphones about sound so that you don’t place pressure on your ears and damage them over a time span. You have to be mindful of the same with standard earbuds and be warned that there is no undue pressure on the ears.
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Side Effects Of Sleeping With Headphones Or Earbuds
Headphones or earbuds can cause damage to your ears when used improperly. Below are some side effects that you can run the risk of experiencing:
1. Safety Issue
If you wear headphones with music or other earbuds that suppress noise, you face the risk of not hearing an alarm going off in the middle of the night. This can bring disastrous results, especially during emergencies.
2. Otitis Externa
This is the name given to a condition that causes your ear canal to become irritated. Worst case scenario, the skin around your ear canal area will wear out slowly and trigger fluid to be in your ear. This could lead to pain in the outer ear too. The ear canal is essential since it links the ear canal to the outer ear. This condition is popular among swimmers but can also occur in people who wear headphones all the time. And you’ll need to be vigilant if wearing these to sleep.
3. Necrosis
If your earbuds don’t fit well, they’ll exert pressure inside your ear canal on the skin. The skin will begin to wear away, and necrosis (tissue death) can occur.
4. Accumulation Of Ear Wax
If you wear earbuds that sit a little deeper in your ear, you can run the risk of developing an earwax build-up in your ears. This is because the earbuds obstruct the passage of air through your ear, making the wax easier to press against your eardrum. When a lot of ear wax builds up over time, it may be hard to remove this without causing hearing damage.
5. Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a medical term for hearing the noise. Long exposure to heavy noise, in particular from headphones, can lead to it. Tinnitus can cause ears or head sound ringing, roaring, or buzzing.
This disorder is caused primarily by damage to cochlear hair cells. The hair cells reshape sound waves into nerve impulses that the brain interprets. However, if the brain fails to receive the nerve impulses, it generates nerve signals to compensate the hair cells for the lost input.
6. Hearing Loss
Headphones create a sound that is much higher in your eardrums than the normal sound which does not come from your headphones. Extended use of headphones means that you are in danger of hearing loss and complications. You will sustain significant ear damage even if you use it for brief periods at high volumes.
These are some effects of sleeping with headphones or earbuds.
Image source – sleepycenter.net
Benefits Of Sleeping With Headphones Or Earbuds
Sleeping with headphones provides many advantages. Here are a few:
1. White Noise Relaxing
White noise is something that will easily allow you to sleep. On your headphones, you should listen to white sounds to calm and sleep. Studies show that your breathing and heart rate is reduced by music. You will still relax when listening to music before going to bed, and you can hear soft music on your headphones. Instead of other distracting thoughts throughout the day, your body will relax and focus more on sleep.
2. Stimulates Serotonin
Serotonin is a chemical that makes us feel good in our brains. Listening to music we like is a way to promote the development of serotonin. In a good mood, you get a lot easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
3. Insomnia and PTSD Treatment
Studies have shown that listening to music during sleep can be a wonderful way to treat people with PTSD or insomnia since it can relax their mind and improve sleep quality.
4. Shut Out Noise
You may use headphones and earbuds to turn off any form of noise, such as speakers or traffic noises, to help you sleep peacefully. You can also listen to your favorite music and block the noise.
5. Boosts Problem-Solving Skills
The right and left side of our brain can be stimulated by listening to the music. The presence on both sides enhances problem-solving skills simultaneously.
6. Improves Memory
The hippocampus is activated by music, a part of the brain involved in the development of memories. This is why past songs remind you of memories. This is also why most of us feel nostalgic about hearing a song from different times in our lives.
Precautions To Take While Sleeping With Headphones Or Earbuds
Take the following steps into account while you are sleeping with the headphones or with earbuds:
- Do not blast high volume music into your ears. It will not only harm the eardrum, but it will also activate the brain, which will lead to awakening.
- If you sleep alone in your bed, try listening to something using radio rather than earbuds.
- If you have no radio, simply turn on the TV and set it to a low volume channel that you like. Listen to it, you will fall asleep.
The most important thing to remember while sleeping with headphones or earbuds is that they must match properly. Do not sleep with your headphones while you are on the charging phone because you don’t want an electrocution chance.
