Noise is a ever-present part in our daily lives. From lawnmowers and traffic to personal audio devices, the world is more cacophonous than ever. Such loud conditions can negatively impact your hearing if you fail to be cautious. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to emphasize how to protect this crucial sense.
How to shield your hearing: 8 key methods
Luckily, some effortless measures exist that allow you to insulate your hearing from common environmental sounds. The following are eight primary recommendations for maintaining your hearing health.
1. Understand noise levels and their impact
The initial action for averting auditory damage is to determine when a sound level becomes excessive. Different sounds produce varying decibel (dB) levels, and long-term exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss. A fast look is below:
- Sounds like heavy traffic or lawn mowers (85–90 dB) can be tolerated safely for a maximum of 2 hours.
- Exposure to 100 dB sounds, such as those from construction equipment or motorcycles, risks hearing damage in 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 proactive approach to noise recognition can help you avoid environments that are dangerous to your ears.
2. Determine sound levels yourself
Want to know the actual volume of your surroundings? 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.
If you use this measuring method consistently, you’ll better understand your environment and be equipped to make sound choices to guard your hearing.
3. Keep the volume down on your devices
Regularly playing music or podcasts too loudly is a primary contributor to cumulative hearing damage. Headphones and earbuds, while convenient, frequently carry unrecognized dangers. For example, many headphones can exceed 100 dB, resulting in 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 be safe, keep your earbud volume below 50% of its full potential to protect your hearing. Having to increase the volume past this point to hear suggests that you may already have some hearing damage.
4. Avoid using music to drown out background noise
For those who reside in loud areas or work in noisy settings, the urge to use headphones to overpower the ambient sound can be strong. But cranking up the volume to overpower outside noise is harmful. Instead, consider using noise-canceling headphones, which allow you to enjoy your music or podcasts at a much lower, safer volume. Should noise-canceling headphones not be an option, simple earplugs are a viable alternative.
5. When in loud environments, use earplugs
For anyone often in loud environments—whether at concerts, sporting events, or while operating heavy machinery—earplugs are a must. Since they are small, affordable, and easy to transport, earplugs offer an uncomplicated but powerful method of hearing protection.
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. Adhere to safety guidelines at work
If your job requires being around loud equipment or machinery, always comply with safety protocols regarding hearing protection. While some employers may disregard the danger, those who insist “it’s not that loud” might already have serious hearing damage and be unaware of the actual volume. Take essential steps to protect yourself by complying with all guidelines and wearing the designated protective equipment.
7. Move further away from loud noise
Often, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to put distance between yourself and the noise. Distance reduces the intensity of sound reaching your ears, helping to minimize damage. As an illustration, a noise source at 110 dB will be reduced to roughly 100 dB if you stand 20 feet away—a level that allows for up to 15 minutes of safe exposure.
Consider fireworks as a perfect illustration. Even if a 150 dB firework explosion appears distant, being close to the launch site means the noise could still be over 120 dB, leading to immediate damage. By sitting 2,000 feet away (roughly five football fields), you can enjoy the show at a safer level below 100 dB.
8. Address existing hearing loss promptly
If you’ve already experienced hearing loss, it’s vital to act before it worsens. This kind of impairment will not disappear; it only gets worse. Nearly 1 in 10 adults between the ages of 55 and 64 has noticeable hearing loss, and those numbers increase dramatically in older age.
Failing to address the first indications of auditory loss will only quicken its advancement. On average, people wait 7 years too long to get treatment. Your ability to conserve the hearing you still have is improved the earlier you see a hearing specialist to discuss options like hearing aids.
Act now for better hearing
Use National Protect Your Hearing Month as the ideal reminder to make hearing health a top concern. These fundamental steps are useful and can make a big change, whether your goal is to reduce existing hearing loss or stop it from happening.
Schedule a hearing test today and take charge of your hearing health before it’s too late.