High volume warning to headphone users following usage research

High volume warning to headphone users following usage research

More than a quarter (28%) of Brits can’t leave the house without their headphones, new research reveals, with many people listening to music and podcasts at excessively high volumes.

A poll of 2,000 adults found the nation is more attached than ever to their headphones and people are even willing to turn back and go home up to six minutes into their journey if they realise they’ve forgotten them.

Despite the popularity of headphones, one in three people (35%) admit they have rarely or never considered the impact they could be taking on their hearing – particularly if they are listening to their music at excessive volumes. Worryingly, 15% admitted regularly ignoring warnings on their phone telling them the volume is too loud. And for especially headphone-reliant Gen Zs, 27% actively choose to increase the sound even after receiving an alert.

Gordon Harrison, Chief Audiologist at Specsavers, who commissioned the new research, said: “Prolonged exposure to loud sounds through headphones can cause permanent damage to the delicate structures inside the ear. This can lead to issues such as hearing loss and tinnitus, which are often irreversible and can worsen over time.”

Gordon continued “Many New Year’s resolutions are fitness-focused meaning more people reaching for their headphones to use during workouts. It’s important to be mindful of how loud and how long you’re listening for, as the damage isn’t always immediately noticeable.”

The poll indicated some are vowing to better protect their hearing in 2026 with 28% planning to turn the volume down, 17% wanting to cut back on headphones use altogether and 27% saying they intend to book the hearing check they’ve been putting off.

The research also revealed some of the situations where people dread being without headphones including train journeys (24%), planes (23%) and the gym (22%). Other active scenarios include jogging (19%) and using exercise bikes (12%). The main reasons given for using headphones included listening privately without disturbing others (38%), relaxing and unwinding (28%) and blocking out background noise (24%).

However, 24% said they usually listen at a high or very high volume, leading to side effects such as ringing in the ears (21%), sore ears (20%), headaches (15%), muffled hearing (11%) and dizziness (8%).

Gordon added: “No matter if you use over the ear headphones or earbuds, exposure to louder sounds over time can be equally as damaging. Noise-cancelling headphones are a better option as they allow the volume to be lowered while also improving audibility where there is background noise.”