Music from headphones, noise in the schoolyard, loud classmates: Children’s and teenagers’ ears have to put up with a lot these days. This doesn’t always come without consequences.

On the way to school in the morning: The voices of students waiting for the bus can be heard from a distance. Just for a moment—then the headphones go in their ears to drown out the noisy voices. To block out the noise of the bus engine, they turn the music up a little louder. It doesn’t stop until they’re in the classroom, but by then the general noise level is usually so high that the teacher has to raise their voice to be heard.

Constant noise exposure is not without consequences. According to a recent survey and a study by ENT specialists at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, it leads to hearing loss in one out of every seven schoolchildren. The daily noise levels to which children are exposed during their school day are high—and not just because of loud music. In German classrooms, noise levels can peak at 85 decibels—a level that can cause lasting damage if exposed to it over an extended period. By way of comparison: an ambulance siren 10 meters away produces a noise level of 90 decibels. In schools, this is often due to old classrooms that have a strong echo. But large windows and bare walls also reflect sound and contribute to high noise levels.

Ongoing exposure to noise can lead to hearing loss among schoolchildren. To prevent hearing damage, noise prevention should be a priority in everyday school life. This helps improve concentration and, in turn, overall academic performance. Various organizations already offer programs to reduce noise in schools. You can learn more about them here. However, it’s not always that easy to reduce noise everywhere. Home is therefore a place—a quiet environment—where the ears can rest. Unfortunately, the misconception that noise doesn’t bother children is simply not true.

The choice of headphones can also make a difference. In the EU, only headphones that are limited to 85 decibels are permitted. Headphones without the GS mark can reach volumes of up to 110 decibels—just 10 decibels below the pain threshold. In addition, on-ear and over-ear headphones are significantly better for your hearing. They pick up ambient noise with small microphones and counteract it with opposing sound—this technology is called “noise canceling.” This allows you to listen to music undisturbed even at lower volumes—even on the school bus.

Read here to learn how to prevent hearing damage caused by excessively loud music from headphones. If you’d like to know which music is particularly good for relaxation, we recommend the article “Clear Your Mind with Music.”