Recently I have been stricken by a condition, and what it has illuminated to me is that the sinus, and it's well being, is tantamount to accurate mixing.  I have formulated some rules for myself.
 
1. Protect your sinuses. 
 
If your sinuses are free and clear, you will hear in a different way.
 
Jesse Q. Screed

Absolutely true.
 
Actually, it's kinda scary to contemplate all the variables that can affect your hearing. Wearing a hat. Sitting in a high-backed chair. How much clutter you have on your desk. Drinking coffee. Time of day. Your mood. Blood pressure. Blood sugar. Length of time in front of the speakers. How loud you monitor. Alcohol and marijuana. Last night's gig. Ear wax. 
 
Thank goodness for spectrum analyzers.

Bad sinus' really blow!

paradoxx@optonline.net
Bad sinus' really blow!

Good One!
 
Jesse Q. Screed

I'll tell ya one thing I've noticed about marijuana. I don't smoke it very often at all, in fact maybe 2 or 3 times a year, but when I do I'm always surprised at how much better the instrument separation sounds in my mixes. Like if I have a project in which I've been struggling to give tracks their own frequency space and being unhappy with the results, I will listen to it stoned and all of a sudden everything is clear and well defined in its own place on the soundstage. I really don't know why that is but its interesting.

sharke
I'll tell ya one thing I've noticed about marijuana. I don't smoke it very often at all, in fact maybe 2 or 3 times a year, but when I do I'm always surprised at how much better the instrument separation sounds in my mixes. Like if I have a project in which I've been struggling to give tracks their own frequency space and being unhappy with the results, I will listen to it stoned and all of a sudden everything is clear and well defined in its own place on the soundstage. I really don't know why that is but its interesting.

Good One!
 
Jesse Q. Screed

What affects my hearing the most is all that grey matter between the ears.
 

sharke
I'll tell ya one thing I've noticed about marijuana. I don't smoke it very often at all, in fact maybe 2 or 3 times a year, but when I do I'm always surprised at how much better the instrument separation sounds in my mixes. Like if I have a project in which I've been struggling to give tracks their own frequency space and being unhappy with the results, I will listen to it stoned and all of a sudden everything is clear and well defined in its own place on the soundstage. I really don't know why that is but its interesting.

This is exactly why it should be avoided while mixing. Anything that makes your mix sound better without your actually doing anything, well, that thing is not your friend. Sweet-sounding hi-fi speakers, bass-hyped headphones, mood lighting, sex on or under the console, and all perception-altering chemicals. 
 
Best combination: mix completely sober but encourage listeners to smoke a joint before listening.

bitflipper

sharke
I'll tell ya one thing I've noticed about marijuana. I don't smoke it very often at all, in fact maybe 2 or 3 times a year, but when I do I'm always surprised at how much better the instrument separation sounds in my mixes. Like if I have a project in which I've been struggling to give tracks their own frequency space and being unhappy with the results, I will listen to it stoned and all of a sudden everything is clear and well defined in its own place on the soundstage. I really don't know why that is but its interesting.

This is exactly why it should be avoided while mixing. Anything that makes your mix sound better without your actually doing anything, well, that thing is not your friend. Sweet-sounding hi-fi speakers, bass-hyped headphones, mood lighting, sex on or under the console, and all perception-altering chemicals. 
 
Best combination: mix completely sober but encourage listeners to smoke a joint before listening.

Yeah I think as a mixing tool, marijuana is helpful only as a means of getting yourself excited about mixes you'd given up on...you listen stoned and think hang on, this COULD actually sound pretty damn good!

I'm going through sudden low frequency hearing loss. Today I got a steroid shot in my right ear, after two weeks of massive steroids. Apparently there is only a few weeks window for it to reverse. On top of that everything I hear everything doubled but pitched a third lower. It sounds like robots chirping in my ear. Driving me crazy! So far this has been the worse three weeks of my life. No making music, no listening to music.