Headphone headaches: six tweaks for more comfortable all-day use

The article reports that headphone-related headaches often arise from pressure, weight, heat, glasses and high volume, and it lists six adjustments — such as changing earcup type or pads, adjusting fit, lowering volume, dimming screens and disabling active noise cancellation — that the author found helpful.

Full-size headphones now offer stronger performance at lower prices, but some models can cause real headaches. The author began noticing head and temple pain after long sessions with larger gaming and work headsets and researched common causes. The piece links those headaches to pressure, headset weight, heat, wearing glasses and high volume, and then offers six practical adjustments the author uses to reduce discomfort. Key points: - Common factors reported as contributing to headphone headaches include pressure from earcups, overall weight, heat buildup, wearing glasses and high listening volume. - On-ear models often place direct pressure on the ear; the article notes that over-ear headphones provide larger, cushier earcups, while earbuds and open-ear bone-conduction designs are presented as lower‑pressure alternatives. - Ear pad materials can affect comfort; memory foam, velour and suede are mentioned as softer options, mesh for cooler wear, and brands or third-party covers and replacement earcups are noted as available. - Headband tension and weight distribution influence fit and strain; the article cites examples such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 at about 10 ounces and the AirPods Max at about 13.6 ounces to illustrate differences in weight and distribution. - High volume is described as a possible headache trigger; the author references a common guideline to keep levels well below 85 decibels and notes that some headsets include volume-limiting features. - Screen factors and noise control are also covered: the article recommends lowering screen brightness or using blue-light filters and reports that some people experience pressure or dizziness from active noise cancellation, with switching ANC off described as a reported remedy. Summary: The article presents several fit, material and setting changes intended to reduce headset-related discomfort and reports that the author experienced relief after applying such adjustments. Undetermined at this time.