Tips for Wearing Your Gaming Headphones With Your Glasses

Written by — November 25, 2024 at 03:57

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For avid gamers, gaming for long periods can lead to some unwanted side effects. Earlier this year, researchers explored some of the common physical symptoms experienced by professional gamers. Of course, not all gamers are salaried professionals signed to esports organizations. But one thing gamers have in common with professional ones is that we spend extended periods in front of our gaming devices.

Based on the study's findings, physical symptoms often reported by professional gamers include headaches, musculoskeletal complaints, and eye-related problems. By far, headache was the most common physical symptom reported, prevalent in 40% of study participants. Headache is also a common symptom reported among non-gamer computer workers.

While many possible factors lead to headaches among gamers, one long-standing issue that many gamers struggle with is wearing glasses together with headsets or headphones. This is because when gaming for extended periods, the weight and pressure of your headset or headphones can squeeze against your eyeglasses temples, causing discomfort or even pain. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to wear your glasses together with your headphones for long gaming sessions. Below, we'll be sharing some tips:

Choose the right eyeglasses frames

Choosing the right eyeglasses frames is one of the best ways to prevent your headphones from making your glasses feel uncomfortable or painful after long periods. Nowadays, eyeglasses come in different shapes and designs, and going with eyeglass frames that have thinner or flatter temples can help ease the pressure from your headphones when gaming for long periods.

When browsing eyeglasses from Glasses.com, you can check out glasses frames like the new Oakley Enigma Ink, which has a unique temple design that may make wearing headphones more comfortable. The Enigma Ink also comes with upgrade options for blue-light blocking lenses and anti-reflective and anti-smudge for the more hardcore gamers who may be worried about the side effects of blue light. Other heavy computer users also recommend choosing frames that leave as little gap as possible between your headphones and your head for better sound quality and isolation, which thinner frames can help with.

Choose the right headphones

While choosing the right eyeglasses frames can help, sometimes the problem lies with how your headset or headphones are designed. Some headphones are designed to be more comfortable than others. Over-ear headphones, for example, typically have bigger ear cups and softer padding, which may feel more comfortable for longer gaming sessions.

Compared to on-ear headphones that are more compact, over-ears provide a larger and more comfortable fit that can accommodate the extra pressure from glasses temples. Apple's over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max, are a great example of this, thanks to their almost rectangular ear cup design. The latest update to the product's design also saw a long-awaited switch from Apple's proprietary Lightning port to the more universally used USB-C. If you already own a pair and don't deem the switch to USB-C worth it, however, you can simply opt to buy the new replacement ear cushions featuring five new colorways. Over-ear headphones also provide better sound quality and isolation, which can help if you want to be more immersed in your games.

Consider adjustable headsets

If you're not a huge fan of over-ear headphones, you don't have to do away with on-ears or regular headsets. However, it can help to look for adjustable designs. Some headphones and headsets allow you to tilt or move the ear cups so they can fit your head shape more optimally. This leads to a more comfortable gaming experience when grinding for long periods.

Aside from adjustable ear cups, you should also look out for other features such as the padding at the top of your head, as well as adjustable lengths that you can play around with to create more space for your eyeglasses. Tighter headsets and headphones are always going to feel like a squeeze, which can lead to discomfort or even pain after long gaming hours. Having headphones with adjustable arms can help relax the grip on your ears and glasses' temples, which can greatly reduce headaches or discomfort.

Take regular breaks

Finally, you should also take frequent breaks while gaming. For example, taking off your headphones or headset in between game rounds or levels can help give your ears some breathing time. You'll also be able to do some stretches to ease the pressure from the weight of your headphones. Experts also recommend frequent breaks if you like to game at high audio volumes.

Above, we mentioned how painful tighter headphones can be. Taking these breaks lets your ears breathe and lets your blood recirculate to the parts of your ears that get the most pressure from the weight of your headphones. This can help alleviate built-up strain if you've been gaming for a whole day. Of course, taking regular breaks also helps your eyes relax from intense gaming sessions. Gamers tend to blink less frequently because we're often so focused on what's on our screens, so taking a break to ease any discomfort or pain in your ears will also be beneficial for your eyes in the long run.

If you liked this post, you can check out our previous post listing the most enticing adventure games available on iPhones and iPads, from Genshin Impact to Sky: Children of the Light.