Many of us like to reach for a pair of the best noise-cancelling headphones or best noise-cancelling earbuds when we want to keep the outside world at bay and reduce unwanted distractions. But for the 1.1 billion people at risk of hearing damage from too much noise – and the millions who suffer with tinnitus or noise sensitivity in social situations – turning up the volume isn’t always an option.
Music has always been a huge part of my life, but decades of clubbing and concertgoing (along with the subsequent ear ringing) have definitely taken a toll on my hearing. Moreover, I’ve become increasingly aware that I am (and always have been) super sensitive to noise in most work and social settings, which makes concentrating on the task at hand – think finish a writing deadline or chatting over dinner in a restaurant – not just difficult, but pretty exhausting.
