Noise is a ever-present part in our daily lives. From lawnmowers and road noise to personal audio devices, the world is louder than ever. Without proper care, this higher level of noise can result in damage to your ears. As October marks National Protect Your Hearing Month, it serves as an excellent period to review how to keep safe this important sense.
8 actionable steps to protect your hearing
Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to guard your hearing from the everyday noise around you. Here are eight essential tips to secure your hearing.
1. Understand noise levels and their impact
To begin curbing hearing loss, you must develop an awareness of when noise intensity is too loud to tolerate. Different sounds produce varying decibel (dB) levels, and extended exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss. Consult this brief summary:
- Sounds like heavy traffic or lawn mowers (85–90 dB) can be tolerated safely for a maximum of 2 hours.
- At 100 dB (e.g., motorcycles, construction machinery), hearing damage can begin after only 15 minutes.
- Instant damage is possible after merely a few seconds of exposure to noises over 110 dB, like explosions, gunshots, or fireworks.
Taking a preventative approach to noise awareness can help you avoid environments that are hazardous to your ears.
2. Measure sound levels yourself
Are you interested in discovering the true loudness of your environment? You can easily measure it using your smartphone. Several free sound meter apps are available, allowing you to test noise levels around you. The key to getting reliable data is to take the measurement from the distance you usually maintain from the origin of the sound.
Regular use of this app 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 high volumes is one of the most common ways people damage their hearing over time. Headphones and earbuds, while convenient, frequently carry unrecognized dangers. It’s noteworthy that many headphones can reach 100 dB, a level that can induce hearing loss in only 15 minutes of use.
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 need to raise the volume higher to hear, that’s a sign your hearing may already be damaged.
4. Avoid using music to drown out background noise
If you reside in a noisy neighborhood or frequently work in loud environments, it might be enticing to use headphones to drown out the background sound. But cranking up the volume to overpower outside noise is detrimental. Instead, consider using noise-canceling headphones, which allow you to enjoy your music or podcasts at a much lower, safer volume. In the absence of noise-canceling headphones, using earplugs is an good substitute.
5. Always use earplugs in noisy settings
For anyone regularly attending loud environments—whether at concerts, sporting events, or while operating heavy machinery—earplugs are a must. They are a highly effective yet simple hearing protection solution, being compact, inexpensive, and portable.
Individuals who require earplugs often can get 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 guidelines at work
critically, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must ensure you follow the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. Be wary because some jobs may discount the risks; individuals claiming “it’s not that loud” could be suffering from major hearing loss and thus misjudging the true noise level. Protect yourself by adhering to guidelines and wearing appropriate protective equipment.
7. Move further away from loud noise
Sometimes the best way to protect your ears is simply to increase the space from the noise source. The advantage of distance is that it lessens the sound’s intensity before it reaches your ears, thus helping to minimize the risk of harm. For example, standing 20 feet away from a noise source producing 110 dB reduces it to around 100 dB—safe for up to 15 minutes of exposure.
The example of fireworks is instructive. Even if a 150 dB firework explosion appears distant, being close to the launch site means the noise could still be over 120 dB, resulting in immediate damage. You can still enjoy the display at a safer level, below 100 dB, by being 2,000 feet away (the length of about five football fields).
8. Existing hearing loss needs to be addressed promptly
Any existing hearing loss demands prompt action to keep it from escalating. Auditory impairment is not self-reversing; it will progress. Specifically, 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 symptoms of hearing loss only accelerates its progression. It is common for people to wait an average of 7 years longer than they should before seeking a consultation. By consulting a hearing specialist sooner and investigating treatments such as hearing aids, you significantly improve the potential for retaining your existing hearing.
Start protecting your hearing now
The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month is an great time to place a high value on your auditory well-being. These simple actions can have a significant impact, regardless of whether you’re seeking to prevent future harm or you’ve already experienced some hearing loss.
book a hearing test now and gain control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.
