Attending concerts, raving at festivals and continuously listening to music through headphones is how most people in the UK spend their teenage years. Their lives are centred around loud noise which begs the question – are we doing enough to educate them about the dangers of noise pollution?
For many young people, the louder the music, the better. Growing up in a society full of technology and the rise of rap and hip-hop music, things like wireless headphones and bass speakers have become all the rage. So it’s no wonder that the younger generation are being exposed to more noise than the average adult.
In a recent press release, Paul Breckell, Action on Hearing Loss Chief Executive said: “Worryingly some our research showed that over half (53.4%) of people aged 18 to 24 had experienced tinnitus, with 40% of people unaware that being exposed to loud noise can lead to permanent tinnitus.”
Attending nightclubs and gigs on a regular basis can have a dangerous affect on your ears, which could lead to hearing problems in later life. In fact, Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing is the perfect example of this as he revealed he is currently suffering from tinnitus. In an article by the Daily Mail he said: “Young people need to realise that they must protect their ears. Just turn down your headphones, get some ear plugs and stand away from the speakers at gigs. I really wish I had.”
Teaching the dangers Careless behavior in early life can lead to significant health problems in later life – so it’s important that the younger generation are made aware of this. It’s vital that this is communicated in schools so pupils learn the dangers from an early age. But sadly, the fact that over half of people aged 18-24 have experienced tinnitus, shows that the message just isn’t getting across. People don’t understand the severity of the problem.
The effects Noise pollution can not only affect your ears, but it can also lead to other health problems like stress, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and other cardiovascular disease. It’s important to also recognise the cognitive impact exposure to excess noise can have on children. Young people who are continuously exposed to noise can have difficulty concentrating on certain tasks, which makes learning in school particularly hard. Reading, focusing in lessons and speech can all be affected – which can have a significant impact on development.
Temporary solutions If you’re planning an event, Echo Barrier’s acoustic barriers have been scientifically developed by leading acoustic engineers to provide effective, temporary noise control solutions that successfully reduce noise energy by up to 99%.