Noise is a ever-present factor in our daily lives. Our surroundings—from traffic and yard work to music via earbuds—is increasingly loud. Such loud conditions can compromise your hearing if awareness is lacking. With National Protect Your Hearing Month taking place in October, now is the prime time to consider preserving your hearing.
8 tips to protect your hearing
Fortunately, there are straightforward steps you can take to protect your ears from the daily noise around you. We present eight crucial pieces of advice to keep your hearing safe.
1. Understand noise levels and their impact
Being conscious of how loud is too loud is the primary step in avoiding hearing damage. Diverse noises generate different decibel (dB) measurements; spending too much time around loud ones can result in permanent hearing damage. Consult this brief table:
- 85–90 dB: Lawn mowers, heavy traffic – Safe for up to 2 hours of exposure.
- 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.
A forward-thinking mindset regarding noise levels enables you to keep away from environments that are unsafe for your hearing.
2. Determine sound levels yourself
Curious about how loud your environment really is? You can easily measure it using your smartphone. You can download a range of complimentary sound meter applications to monitor the noise in your vicinity. To get accurate results, measure from the distance you usually are from the sound source.
Regular use of this monitoring tool can improve your understanding of your surroundings, leading to smarter choices about hearing protection.
3. Don’t crank up the volume on your devices
Regularly playing music or podcasts too loudly is a primary contributor to cumulative hearing damage. The ease of headphones and earbuds often comes with unseen risks. Many headphones, for instance, are capable of reaching volumes over 100 dB, which means hearing loss can occur in as little as 15 minutes.
Current data suggests that more than a billion young individuals face the threat of hearing impairment due to excessive earbud use. To protect your ears, never turn your earbuds above 50% of their maximum volume. If you find yourself turning the volume up beyond this limit, it likely means some degree of hearing loss has already occurred.
4. Avoid using music to drown out background noise
When situated in a noisy environment or residing in a loud neighborhood, you may be tempted to use headphones to cancel the surrounding noise. It is in fact harmful to increase the volume excessively just to override outside noise. Opt instead for noise-canceling headphones; these devices make it possible to listen to your music or podcasts at a considerably reduced, safer level. Should noise-canceling headphones not be an option, simple earplugs serve as a viable alternative.
5. Always use earplugs in loud settings
Earplugs are absolutely necessary for individuals regularly in loud settings, such as concerts, sports events, or while using heavy machinery. Since they are small, affordable, and easy to transport, earplugs offer an uncomplicated but powerful method of hearing protection.
If you use them often, custom-fitted earplugs can be obtained, offering improved protection and a better fit than off-the-shelf versions. In any loud setting, don’t forget to use them.
6. Adhere to safety recomendations at work
critically, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must obey the established safety guidelines for auditory 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. Protect yourself by following guidelines and wearing proper protective equipment.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
Frequently, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to step away from the noise. By increasing distance, the sound intensity hitting your ears is lessened, which helps reduce 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. While a firework explosion registers at 150 dB, if you are close to where it launches, the sound can still surpass 120 dB, which can cause instant harm. In contrast, by positioning yourself 2,000 feet away (approximately five football fields), you can view the show at a safer level, under 100 dB.
8. Address existing hearing loss promptly
Any existing hearing loss requires prompt action to keep it from advancing. Hearing loss doesn’t go away on its own; it progresses. Statistics show that approximately 1 out of 10 adults in the 55-to-64 age group have considerable hearing loss, and this percentage increases in later years.
Failing to address the first warning signs of auditory loss will only quicken its advancement. On average, people wait 7 years too long to consult a specialist. 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
Use National Protect Your Hearing Month as a chance to make hearing health a main concern. These fundamental steps are effective and can make a big change, whether your goal is to mitigate existing hearing loss or stop it from happening.
book a hearing test now and assume control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.