music

I attended a rock concert recently, and my ears did not enjoy it. They began to hurt as soon as the band started to play. Now, granted, I'm not exactly an avid concertgoer--you're about as likely to find me in a mosh pit as on an alien space ship--but my ears' aversion surprised me. This was, after all, an outdoor concert, and I was sitting relatively far from the stage. But as I learned, amphitheater speakers that are many hundreds of feet away may still produce noise levels that can be hazardous to your hearing.

Noise is one of those health threats that many of us don't take very seriously, but we should. Exposure to loud noise is thought to be a contributor to hearing loss in about half of the estimated 28 million Americans who have it. Damage can occur from short-term exposure, but typically it's due to the daily, chronic assault on our ears from multiple sources.

One of those sources is public transportation. A study in the August issue of the American Journal of Public Health finds that noise levels from New York City subways are high enough to cause hearing loss in people with regular exposure.

On average, subways had noise levels of about 80 decibels (dBA). The highest levels--up to 102 dBA--were found on platforms. That's about the same as the noise level from a chainsaw. By comparison, normal conversation is about 65 dBA and a whisper is 30. (Each increase of 10 dBA corresponds to a 10-fold increase in loudness.)

According to the researchers, exposure to 100 dBA for as briefly as two minutes a day could lead to hearing loss in some regular riders. Longer exposures to 90 or 95 dBA-- levels found on many of the subway trains--could have a similar effect.

If you're tempted to try to drown out the noise with your MP3 player, think again. Cranking the volume up to high on your favorite Metallica or Twisted Sister tune can produce noise levels of 100 dBA or higher. The result is that you've traded one potentially hazardous exposure for another.

A better solution when you're encountering the subway, concerts, or any other noisy environment is to wear protective earplugs. For more tips, watch this segment. And see what one former punk rocker is doing to raise awareness of noise-related hearing loss.

Whether you prefer Shakira or Springsteen to serenade you while you work out, you know that music can make exercise more enjoyable. But if you choose the right music - and that's the key - you may also be able to boost your performance.

Yes, there are scientists who study such things, and Dr. Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University in London is among them. In his latest study, he asked 30 volunteers to listen to specially-selected music while they exercised on a treadmill. His finding: Their physical endurance increased by an average of 15%.

The key to the right music is the number of beats per minute (BPM). For maximum performance, Karageorghis recommends tunes with 120 to 140 BPM. Songs at the lower end of this range are appropriate for moderate activities such as walking, while those at the upper end are best suited for more intense forms of exercise.

Wondering how many BPMs your favorite Snoop Dogg ditty has? Here's a cool tool that helps you figure it out. Or check out Jogtunes.com. Created by a physician who's a runner, the site lists BPMs for a wide array of music and has downloadable mixes for various types of activities. Runner's World also features recommended playlists for warming up, running, doing yoga, and lifting weights.

So what does Karageorghis suggest? According to his research, "The Heat is On" by Glenn Frey is particularly effective for intense workouts. I'm not so sure, though. I think I'll stick with the Beach Boys.

Ever wonder why conductors get so sweaty? Leading an orchestra is good exercise, as this musical fitness program proves.