Noise is a ubiquitous part in our daily lives. From lawnmowers and road noise to personal audio devices, the world is louder than ever. This rise in noise can have a harmful effect on your hearing if you’re not careful. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to emphasize how to protect this essential sense.
8 tips to protect your hearing
It’s a relief that basic actions can be implemented to defend your ears from the constant noise you encounter daily. Here are eight essential tips to secure your hearing.
1. Know volume levels and their impact
The most important action for averting auditory damage is to determine when a sound level becomes excessive. The volume of various sounds is measured in decibels (dB), and being subjected to them for too long can cause irreversible hearing impairment. A fast summary is below:
- 85–90 dB: Lawn mowers, heavy traffic – Safe for up to 2 hours of exposure.
- 100 dB: Motorcycles, construction machinery – Hearing damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes.
- Over 110 dB: Fireworks, gunshots, explosions – Instant damage can happen after just a few seconds.
Taking a preventative approach to noise recognition can help you steer clear of environments that are dangerous to your ears.
2. Measure sound levels yourself
Are you interested in finding out the true loudness of your environment? You can easily determine it using your smartphone. There are many free applications that function as sound meters, allowing you to examine surrounding noise levels. For the most precise results, ensure you measure the sound from your typical distance to the source.
Regular use of this monitoring tool can improve your understanding of your surroundings, facilitating smarter choices about hearing protection.
3. Don’t crank up the volume on your devices
Listening to music or podcasts at excessive volumes is one of the most common ways people impair their hearing over time. Despite their handiness, headphones and earbuds often mask certain risks. For example, many headphones can exceed 100 dB, leading to hearing loss in just 15 minutes.
Today, over a billion young people are at risk of hearing loss from using earbuds at high volumes. To protect your ears, never turn your earbuds above 50% of their maximum volume. If you find yourself turning the volume up just to be able to hear, it likely means some degree of hearing loss has already occurred.
4. Never try to use music to drown out loud noise
If you live in a noisy neighborhood or frequently work in loud environments, it might be tempting to use headphones to drown out the background sound. However, turning the volume high enough to overpower the noise outside is unwise for your hearing. Opt instead for noise-canceling headphones; these devices make it possible to listen to your music or podcasts at a considerably reduced, safer level. If you don’t have noise-canceling headphones, earplugs can be an effective alternative.
5. When in noisy environments, use earplugs
Earplugs are essential for individuals regularly in loud settings, such as concerts, sports events, or while using heavy machinery. They are small, affordable, and easy to carry, making them a simple but effective tool for hearing protection.
Individuals who require earplugs often can obtain custom-fitted ones, which give superior protection and comfort compared to standard types. Never think twice about use earplugs when you are in a noisy location.
6. Follow safety recommendations at work
Crucially, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must ensure you follow the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. While some employers may underestimate the danger, those who insist “it’s not that loud” might already have serious hearing damage and be unaware of the actual volume. Protect yourself by adhering to guidelines and wearing proper protective equipment.
7. Move further away from loud noise
Frequently, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to put distance between yourself and the noise. By increasing distance, the sound intensity reaching your ears is lessened, which helps reduce damage. To illustrate, moving 20 feet back from a 110 dB sound source can lower the level to about 100 dB, which is safe for 15 minutes of exposure.
The example of fireworks is instructive. A firework exploding at 150 dB may seem far away, but if you’re near the launch site, the noise can still go beyond 120 dB, causing instant damage. By sitting 2,000 feet away (roughly five football fields), you can enjoy the show at a safer level below 100 dB.
8. Existing hearing loss needs to be addressed promptly
Any existing hearing loss requires prompt action to keep it from escalating. This kind of impairment will not resolve itself; it only advances. Particularly, close to 10% of adults aged 55 to 64 suffer from substantial hearing loss, with the rates rising considerably among older demographics.
Ignoring the early signs of hearing loss only speeds up its progression. It is common for people to wait an average of 7 years longer than they should before getting professional help. Your ability to protect the hearing you still have is improved the earlier you see a hearing specialist to discuss options like hearing aids.
Take action today
National Protect Your Hearing Month is an perfect reminder to prioritize your hearing health. Whether you’ve already experienced some hearing loss or want to prevent future damage, these straightforward steps can make a big difference.
Schedule a hearing test today and take control of your hearing health before it’s too late.