Mindfulness and Earmuffs: Tools to Lower Stress and Enjoy Life

The following is a sponsored post for your reading enjoyment.  

Perhaps the understatement of all time is that life as a parent is stressful. Finding ways to reduce the stress involved in raising a family, while earning a paycheck, is vital to your physical, mental and professional well-being. Using a pair of earmuffs to listen to music can greatly increase your relaxation and ease the unhealthy stress you are bombarded with each day.

As has already been discussed on Creating My Kaleidoscope, mindful rest “can help to reduce stress levels as you refocus on your priorities. It can also help people that suffer from anxiety or depression.”  Also, listening to music is a great way to practice mindfulness, so by spending one hour per day listening to your favorite tunes you can gain a healthy outlook on your life.

Why Mindfulness?

Picture yourself getting out of bed early in the morning before the kids. You’ve had a restless night worrying about the difficulties you must face today. Your mind reels as you think about the hard project at work you are trying to wrap up and a teacher’s conference in the afternoon concerning your precocious ten-year-old daughter. To pull yourself together for the day you sit down in your favorite recliner put on your set of Bluetooth earmuffs, flip on your favorite music and settle back for an uninterrupted hour of me-time. As you listen to the soothing tones playing in your ears, all the sounds around you are entirely cut off, and you allow yourself to practice mindfulness. Doing so brings into perspective the day ahead and your belief that you can handle whatever you must face. Soon, you feel relaxed, confident and ready to take on today’s responsibilities.

The benefits of taking that daily me-time cannot be understated, and a good set of Bluetooth earmuffs is just the tool you might choose to experience it. The following article is an outline of some of the features of earmuffs to assist you in making the purchase that is the most economical and beneficial for you. Below you will find an outlined description of earmuffs, why you should choose this option over headphones and an evaluation of what you can expect to pay.

What are Earmuffs?

Earmuffs are the big brother of headphones. They both cover your ears, and many other features are the same such as both forms coming in Bluetooth or wired and foldable models. However, earmuffs have the advanced attribute of entirely sealing you off from all noises in your home or workspace even better than the most expensive sound canceling headphones. The best description of earmuffs is a mouth-full, acoustic active noise reducing devices. They usually are worn to protect the hearing of people who work in loud environments such as factories and airports. Their sound canceling quality is terrific with most models keeping out up to 80% of environmental noises. They can be purchased with a myriad number of features including Bluetooth capability and hands-free usage that allows you to answer your phone while you are busy doing a task effortlessly. Some electronic earmuffs have a speaker inside with a microphone on the outside that detects loud sounds and eliminates them before they can cause hearing damage. These microphones are so sensitive that they can even detect low wavelength noises such as those made by locomotives and tractors.  

Why Choose Earmuffs Over Headphones?

It is true that headphones are cheaper and come in many styles and models offering the adequate enjoyment of music. However, a well-chosen pair of earmuffs can give sound quality that is above and beyond even that of audio canceling headphones. The models that proffer Bluetooth capability give mobility while still preserving a high-quality listening experience.  Not only this, but the isolation while listening to your favorite music to help you relax is almost total. It is so good fact that you can imagine yourself alone on the beach or in a forest despite being in a busy office.

The Cost

There are many factors to consider when choosing a set of earmuffs that affect considerably the price you will pay. These include audio quality, battery life, and ease of use.

The audio quality of a set of wireless earmuffs is not as good as those that wired models. The reason for the discrepancy is that the signal of Bluetooth earmuffs can be interrupted easily and may have an annoying buzz in the background.

Wireless earmuffs must be recharged, and each model has a different lifespan for use without plugging them in. Also, they are less efficient when using them in an environment where electric outlets aren’t easily accessible. Also, wireless models cost more. However, wireless earmuffs do not fail as quickly as wired ones due to the cord becoming worn.

Earmuffs are as easy to use as headphones, and replacement cups (cushions) are available. After considering the different features of earmuffs, you can then look at the prices of each model. Earmuffs are not inexpensive. They can range from $49-hundreds of dollars. Most earmuffs come with the standard 3.5 mm jack to plug in any device. However, it is essential to check for this before purchasing.

Purchasing a pair of earmuffs can help positively change the health of yourself and your family. After spending some me-time isolated from the noise and problems of life, you will feel refreshed and relaxed. The physical and mental health benefits to yourself and your family are immeasurable compared to the high cost of the long-term effects of stress. So, kick back, put on your earmuffs, and listen to your favorite tunes for at least one hour per day to enjoy all the health-enhancing benefits of mindful rest.     

I hope you enjoyed reading about the mindfulness benefits that can come with wearing ear muffs.  Thank you to Doctear for helping support Creating My Kaleidoscope.  I’ve been working on a bunch of entertaining and informational posts, coming soon!