Beverly Hills Hearing Center was founded in 1983 by Bonnie Baehr. Prior to that, Dr. Baehr practiced at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles as a staff audiologist for seven years. She was involved with diagnostic testing, hearing aid evaluations, research and rehabilitation. Dr. Baehr did her clinical fellowship training at the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic in downtown Los Angeles. She is a member of the American Academy of Audiology, American Speech Language and Hearing Association, California Academy of Audiology and Academy of Doctors of Audiology.
Latest posts by Bonnie L. Baehr, Au.D. (see all)
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Millennials and those in Generation Z are digital natives because they grew up with digital technology or in the information age. They work online, have laptops on the kitchen table, and always have earbuds. However, young people’s heavy use of technology could hurt their hearing in the long run.
Technology and hearing loss
These generations adjusted to technology more quickly than older generations. They use technology to help them get around the city, find the best deal on a necessary purchase, and meet new people. But experts say there could be some bad things about technology.
Many recent studies have found that technology is linked to hearing loss. Millennials might have a lot of fun listening to music, podcasts, or the best workout soundtrack, but their need to always be plugged in could hurt their hearing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that hearing loss is one of the US’s most common long-term health problems. Also, hearing loss is becoming more common in younger people. Millions of people are at risk of hearing loss because they use personal listening devices almost all the time, and kids, teens, and adults are constantly increasing the volume. They often turn their music up to unsafe levels to drown out annoying background noises, and they usually listen at too loud of a volume for far too long. This causes hearing loss and tinnitus, and you can’t get it back once you have hearing loss. Making millennials more aware of the risks could save their hearing health.
Keeping hearing safe
If you’ve been listening to a lot of music lately, it’s essential to take steps to protect your hearing health. Use the 60/60 rule and limit the time you listen to music with earbuds. Listen for 60 minutes, then take a break to give your ears a rest. Never listen with a volume higher than 60%. If you go any higher, you could hurt your hearing.
If you have a noisy job or like noisy things to do for fun, like going to concerts, sporting events, riding motorbikes, or going to the shooting range, make sure you always wear hearing protection and tell those around you to do the same.
Depression and new technology
The technology could be hurting millennials’ mental health and hearing. It is great to be connected, but sometimes being so connected online can make it hard to connect with people in real life.
Millennials are more likely to have social anxiety, stress, social isolation, loneliness, and depression. Many are more comfortable sending texts than talking on the phone or meeting friends in person. A recent study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association found that the number of depressed millennials has gone up by 47% in the past few years.
Technology and the health of our bodies
If the millennial in your life spends too much time on their phones, they might not be in excellent physical health. People using technology are more likely to lead sedentary lives, stay inside, and be much less active.
Millennials are more likely to be overweight, have diabetes, have high cholesterol levels, get heart disease, or have high blood pressure. Using technology for long periods is also very bad for your posture. When you hunch over a computer or phone all day, you can hurt your neck, back, and spine, leading to more severe physical and mental problems.
How to treat hearing loss
Technology might cause hearing loss and other problems, but it is also the way to fix them. Hearing technology has improved by leaps and bounds in the past few years. Today’s hearing aids are innovative, small, brilliant pieces of technology that will change how you interact with the world. If you have trouble hearing, can’t follow conversations, and feel like losing touch with your loved ones, see us for a hearing test to learn how technology can help you hear.