Why You Should and Shouldn’t Use Headphones for Workouts

There are two schools of thought on whether or not to use headphones for workouts. One side says that the music helps you keep your motivation up, while the other side argues that it can be distracting and limits what you hear around you.

You're running on the treadmill or doing squats in your basement. You've got your headphones in, and you're lost in the music; then, suddenly, it hits you. Someone is talking to you. What do you do? If you take out one earbud to listen, there goes your workout routine. You'll be lucky if you can get back into it after that interruption.

On the other hand, if someone suddenly says something meaningful like "hey-watch out!" (or worse), how will they know? They won't because their only way of communicating is through whatever song was playing when they needed help.

Benefits of Using Headphones During Workout

You may have heard that you should not use headphones when working out. This is a myth, as there are some benefits to wearing them. For example, wearing headphones can make your workout more enjoyable and help with motivation. Moreover, you can also check my post on the best over-ear headphones for workouts, if you are interested.

There, however, there are so many health reasons why wearers shouldn't wear headphones during activities.

Increases Motivation

Listening to music can increase your motivation. It is usually played at a pace that matches the movement of the wearer's body, which provides them with more energy and endurance. This can help those who get bored quickly during their workout.

Listening to music with your headphones on taps your inner ability to motivate yourself. It is a way of getting you moving and creating positive energy in your workout session.

Moreover, listening to music lowers the stress level of the wearer. If they are stressed, listening to calming music helps them relax and focus on doing their exercises properly instead of suffering due to stress. Some also find that songs with lyrics can help motivate them through strenuous workouts or during challenging parts of a routine.

Increases Endurance

Headphones can also help increase endurance when working out at high-intensity levels. This might be during aerobic exercise or sprinting, where the wearer would need more oxygen to sustain their movement for more extended periods. The music they listen to will provide them with an extra push to keep going even if it appears as though they cannot take another step forward without collapsing onto the floor in exhaustion.

Improves Performance

Listening to music can make workouts seem more manageable. It provides a rhythm that the wearer can follow, allowing them to move faster without feeling tired or breathless as quickly. In addition, the song's beat encourages you to keep up with it and maintain your pace throughout the workout session.

However, you are likely not to hear what is happening around you while wearing headphones during workouts, which may increase your chances of injury if there are any distractions in an area where people are working out.

Reduces Fatigue and Pain

Listening to music can reduce fatigue and pain. This is because it stimulates the production of endorphins that provide you with a sense of pleasure. It also blocks out other stimuli, which prevents distractions from interfering with your workout session. The music you like can also help reduce physical pain by distracting you from your workout.

Downsides of Using Headphones During Workouts

There are some downsides to wearing headphones during workouts as well. It limits what wearers hear around them and distracts their focus away from staying safe while working out in public spaces or alone at home. Listening to music with headphones on makes people more vulnerable to injuries since they cannot hear any potential dangers nearby; therefore, this could cause serious harm if not handled properly.

Listening to the wrong type of music for a particular activity may affect performance negatively instead of helping someone push themselves harder than they usually would be able to without listening to anything at all.

Headphones Can Affect Your Balance

Wearing headphones during workouts can affect your balance. Wearers may even end up injuring themselves by trying to avoid tripping over wires while concentrating on what they are doing instead of looking where they are going.

On the other hand, your vestibular system is directly connected with your ears and hearing. If you have ever taken a swim and felt as though the world was spinning around you, this is because your eardrums are trying to adjust themselves after being immersed in water for so long.

Your brain will process what it hears from the ears differently than what we see due to our eyesight; therefore, wearing headphones could inhibit people's sense of balance during workouts.

Headphones Can Be Uncomfortable

Some people find that wearing headphones is uncomfortable, especially when using them for both activities at once (such as running or cycling). Additionally, the wire becomes tangled in long hair and gets caught in things quickly, which can be problematic if you're working outdoors where there might be bugs flying around you.

Decreases Motivation

Finally, listening to music can also decrease motivation since some songs may not provide enough energy or inspiration that someone needs while working out. This varies depending on each person's taste in music and how they feel about specific genres; however, having earphones covering their ears prevents them from hearing other stimuli that could provide better workout motivation.

Music Distracts You

Listening to music can distract you from other things that could help your workout session be more beneficial. This limits what wearers hear around them and focuses their attention on the song instead of staying safe while working out in public spaces or alone at home. In addition, listening to music with headphones makes people more vulnerable to injuries since they cannot hear any potential dangers present nearby; therefore, this could cause serious harm if not handled properly.

Wearing headphones during workouts can nullify the sounds around you.

May Experience Hearing Loss Issue

There is an issue with using headphones during workouts, and that is experiencing hearing loss. Using too much earphone volume for extended periods can damage your ears. That's because loud noises, such as the sound from a headphone at full blast, cause tiny hair cells in your inner ear to break down and lose their ability to transmit signals to the brain.

This means you will not hear well when wearing them again or, even worse, realize it only after it's already permanent. Even if discomfort occurs while wearing them, you should still ease off listening levels until they are safe enough again. The best way to solve this problem would be to lower your average listening level by 50% - 75%. You may think this doesn't make a big difference, but it does.

You can find more information on hearing loss due to headphones here.

Tips For Using Your Headphones Correctly While Working Out

Now that you know the benefits and cautions of wearing headphones for workouts, here are some tips on properly using them.

Don't Use The Volume Too Loud.

First off, it is recommended regarding your ears, and so other people around you can have a peaceful workout without having to hear whatever music or sounds you might be listening to. In addition, using earphones at low volumes will help prevent hearing loss while still allowing yourself access to enough stimulus during exercise sessions.

Stay Away From Wire Loops And Tangles

Next, keep wires away from loops and tangles since this makes moving difficult, which could cause tripping hazards if they get caught up in something nearby when concentrating on what the next movement should be. Finally, try to keep the wire over your shoulders and not around them or below your waist where it will get caught up in things like bicycle pedals and weights during workouts.

Wear Earphones That Are Comfortable And Safe To Work Out With

Additionally, wearing comfortable headphones is essential since this allows you for a better workout session overall instead of constantly adjusting earbuds out of irritation or discomfort caused by an ill-fitting pair such as those with little wiggle room inside the ears (such as apple earbuds). Also, they must be safe for exercise use which means they can stand some wear and tear without breaking down so easily; therefore, avoiding damage from sweat if possible would help prolong their life.

When using headphones for workouts, make sure they are comfortable and safe to wear. Finally, when purchasing earphones, it's always best to buy a warranty plan in case your pair breaks down after an extended period of use or if you accidentally damage them yourself; this way, you can get replacement pairs at no extra cost instead of having to pay the total price again.

Headphone brands such as Beats include three-year plans that provide replacements free of charge, which could save people quite a bit over time, considering how expensive some headphone models tend to be (such as wireless studio beats). Just remember, warranties ensure peace of mind and provide better value overall since investment is protected from breakage, loss, and other issues such as wearing out over time.

Find out different interesting things to do while listening to music here.

How to clean and store your headphone so they last longer?

First things first, when cleaning the actual earphones themselves, it's best to use a gentle cloth or microfiber towel that won't snag on any fibers to avoid damaging them. Also, take care not to get moisture into the inner workings of corded headphones because doing so could cause shorting problems, which would mean needing replacements again due to damage done by water.

If you are interested in making your headphone sound louder, check out this post.

Conclusion

Headphones are both beneficial and harmful when it comes to working out. They help provide motivation, allow you to listen to lower volumes that won't cause damage. Still, they can also be annoying if others around you don't want to hear the sounds blasting in your ears plus, there is the risk of them being tripped over, causing injury, or even damaged by sweat which would mean having to rebuy another pair.

When using headphones for workouts, make sure they are comfortable and safe so you can have an overall better experience while exercising without worrying about damaging anything. Finally, purchase a warranty plan on headphone models such as Beats Studio Wireless Headphones. This will ensure peace of mind if breakage happens after extended use or if something unexpected occurs. In addition, you can get a new pair for free instead of having to pay the total price all over again.

Related Posts

1. Hearing My Own Voice On Headset: What It Means & Why
2. Do Headphones Cause Hearing Loss: Prevent & Treat
3. Types of Headphone Jacks & Plugs - Simplified and Explained