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Introduced on October 23, 2001, the iPod ushered in a revolutionary new technology that would forever change the way that many people acquire, listen to, and think about music. This nifty device made it even easier to choose portable devices as a way to listen to music compared to its predecessors-- the Boombox, Walkman, and Discman. Unfortunately, the iPod ushered in a host of unintended negative consequences. We now know that listening to an iPod at moderate volumes for even a moderate amount of time can permanently damage a person's hearing. The iPod is creating generations of hearing-impaired individuals. I wonder, is it just a matter of time before Apple introduces an "iHear" to cure the hearing loss caused by the iPod?
In the iPod's 10th birthday interview in the New York Times, McGill neuroscientist Daniel Levitan reflected on the auditory damage caused by iPods. As he stated, the average adolescent listens to an iPod at the same decibel level (95 to 100) as you would be exposed to if you were standing on the tarmac when a 747 takes off. The hair cells in the cochlea most likely to lose their ability to register sound are the ones responsible for high-pitched frequencies. Once they are destroyed by loud noises, they are unlikely to recover. These are the hearing receptors located at the very front of the cochlea. The incoming sounds destroy them in the same way that carpets become frayed at the entrance to a hallway because they get the most traffic.
In the workplace, you're only supposed to be exposed to 8 hours a day of 85 decibels, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Ironically, the same workers who wear protective hearing for those 8 hour days are just as likely to expose themselves to even more damaging sounds when they leave work, replacing the protective devices with their iPod's earphones. Over time, noise-induced hearing loss harms the individual's ability to hear high-pitched noises, a condition called presbycusis. Formerly more prevalent in men due to their greater exposure to noise at the workplace, presbycusis is now becoming an equal-opportunity source of hearing loss.
There was another irony about the Levitan article that you could only see in the newspaper version itself. Right below the interview was a huge ad for Bose headphones. Perhaps the editors should have read the article more closely before deciding to pitch a product that delivers exactly the kind of cochlea-killing sounds criticized by Levitan.
As I pointed out in a previous blog about smart phones, I'm not opposed to technology, and I do make considerable use of my iPod, though not via earphones. However, I am opposed to using technology in ways that harm people's health-- mental or otherwise. The iPod is just such a device, when used incorrectly: too long, too loud, or both.
The iPod has also changed our lives in another insidious manner. In the past, when people walked, they thought. They didn't have a continuous soundtrack blaring in the background to accompany their every movement. They could reflect on their experiences. As Thoreau said "I see, smell, taste, hear, feel that everlasting Something to which we are allied." With the iPod attached to your ears, you miss out on many of life's intrinsically pleasurable sensory stimuli.
Levitan points out another interesting feature of music's effect on the brain, which is the experience of having a song stuck "in your mind." This phenomenon, called an "earworm," afflicts some people more than others. A song most likely to become an earworm is melodically and rhythmically simple, or it may only be a fragment of a longer piece of music. In my opinion, any song by ABBA has the potential to create an earworm, but you probably have your own favorite nominees. iPods can presumably provide an antidote to earworms by allowing you to mask them with a less sticky track. However, you can also combat earworms on your own by thinking of another song. The new song may start its own earworm, but at least it will alleviate the pain caused by the original culprit.
On the positive side, the constant stream of music provided by the iPod can certainly make you feel good. Levitan suggests that we feel friendlier toward other people when we're listening to music because of the pleasure-creating neurotransmitters that music seems to trigger. People are more likely to sit closer to other people on, say, the subway when they're listening to their iPods because they're feeling a bit more prosocial. Unfortunately, if the iPod is too loud, you may inadvertently be irritating your fellow commuters, so it's a mixed bag.
The world is already adapting to the hearing-deficient generations of baby boomers the iPod has helped create. "Hearing loops" are being installed in museums, concert halls, and even subway booths. Many locations in Northern Europe have already adopted this technology on a widespread basis. Hearing loops are thin strands of copper wire that radiate electromagnetic signals picked up by hearing aids and cochlear implants. They amplify the sounds that you want to hear while and cut down on background noises. It's wonderful that the world is adapting to the hearing-impaired but, again, wouldn't it be better if we could prevent hearing loss in the first place?
Given that people are unable to self-regulate their use of iPods, maybe someone should manufacture stickers that contain a warning sign, much like the dire messages on cigarette boxes (not that those help much, but ...). How about timers that would be sensitive to time and loudness and turn off the iPod when those limits are reached? Imagine the cost savings to our health care system of this simple adaptation.
A timer-regulated iPod may not be in our immediate future. However, you can prevent hearing loss in yourself and those you love by taking advantage of a few minor changes in your music listening habits.
1. Take note of how long and how loud you're listening to music through headphones. Check out the American Speech-Language Hearing Association for more guidelines on preventing hearing loss, and adjust your listening accordingly.
2. Bring ear protectors to live music events or dance clubs. This may seem hopelessly geeky, but considering the ear-splitting noise you're being exposed to in some of these places, your ears will thank you later for this precaution.
3. Take advantage of music's mood-altering effects. Levitan points out that music can make you feel better. I can't say enough good things about music therapy. However, you don't have to blast the music through earphones to experience these benefits to your mental health.
4. Reach out to help others. Spread the word to your co-workers, fellow students, loved ones, and teenage children. Notice when they're putting themselves at risk and explain the dangers. Send them the link to this blog!
5. Avoid the ego depletion effect. Ironically, people who exercise more drink more. If you play your iPod while running or on the treadmill, you may be thinking that since you're doing your body some good, a little harm to your ears won't matter. This is classic ego depletion thinking. We feel we're controlling ourselves in one area (exercise) so we can ease our restrictions in other areas (iPod use). You honestly could run without music blasting in your ears and who knows, you may have a more satisfying work-out.
As we wish the iPod a happy 10th birthday, let's remember that like any other technological innovations, it has its pros and cons. As the Abba song says "We thank you for the music*" but let's just keep that music a little shorter and softer.
*If I've planted an earworm, I do apologize!
Follow me on Twitter @swhitbo for daily updates on psychology, health, and aging and please check out my website,www.searchforfulfillment.com where you can read this week's Weekly Focus to get additional information, self-tests, and psychology-related links.
Copyright 2011 Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D.
