Noise cancelling headphones are great for the music, movie, or game lover who doesn't want other people to have to hear what's being enjoyed. Audiophiles for example, choose noise canceling headphones when they are listening to music in a home theatre setting. People in apartments or college dorms, as another example, may use headphones so they don't bother the neighbors.

When it comes to noise canceling headphones, there are appropriate times to use them and inappropriate times to use them. Noise canceling headphones really do eliminate a lot of background noise, which means you get a crisper, clearer sound (to the sound you want to listen to!) than if you simply used regular headphones. However, be sure not to use your noise canceling headphones when you find yourself in a situation where you need all of your senses to keep you safe and alert. For example, this type of head phone may be appropriate while you're listening in your home theatre or you're flying in an airplane. But it wouldn't be appropriate if you're driving a car, riding a bicycle, or walking down a dark street in the middle of the night. You need to be able to hear in order to stay safe and react appropriately to noises around you.

However, there are times when noise canceling headphones are actually safer than regular head phones! For example, if you are in a place where there is a lot of background noise and you need to or want to hear sound through your headphones. Regular head phones would not properly cancel out the background sound, forcing you to turn up the sound further, potentially causing permanent hearing loss. A good set of noise canceling headphones though, can eliminate background noise so you can hear your own music better.

And, of course, there's the "angry neighbor" who is sick of hearing your music and asking you turn it down! They won't bang on the walls of the apartment anymore!

Other headphones then, are safe in circumstances where you need to hear the background noise and be able to react to it. But they are not safe if you are forced to turn them up too loudly to cancel out the peripheral sounds. Other safety issues with headphones (not just noise cancelling headphones) are wires and cords: be careful that you don't get tangled up in the wires and cords for they could really hurt, or even cause choking! One example might be if you fall asleep with your headphones on."

The old adage "safety first" may be boring but it makes good sense. Be sure to put safety first when you are using headphones and use the right ones for the right circumstances.