Acoustic interference is an unavoidable element of modern life. Whether it’s gardening equipment, vehicles, or our own headphones, the aural world has intensified. 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 focus on how to preserve this crucial sense.
8 tips to protect your hearing
Luckily, some effortless measures exist that allow you to defend your hearing from common environmental sounds. The following are eight primary recommendations for maintaining your hearing health.
1. Become familiar with volume levels and their impact
The initial action for staving off auditory damage is to recognize 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:
- Lawn mowers and heavy traffic fall into the 85–90 dB range, which is safe for up to 2 hours of exposure.
- At 100 dB (e.g., motorcycles, construction machinery), hearing damage can begin after only 15 minutes.
- Over 110 dB: Fireworks, gunshots, explosions – Instant damage can happen after just a few seconds.
Taking a preventative approach to noise awareness can help you steer clear of environments that are dangerous to your ears.
2. Check sound levels yourself
Curious about how loud your environment really is? Your smartphone offers an easy way to measure these levels. You can download various complimentary sound meter applications to evaluate the noise in your vicinity. The key to getting exact data is to take the measurement from the distance you usually maintain from the origin of the sound.
Using this tool regularly can help you better understand your environment and make educated decisions about protecting your hearing.
3. Keep the volume down on your devices
A major way people harm their hearing over time is by using their devices at loud volume settings. Headphones and earbuds, while convenient, frequently carry understated dangers. 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 loud earbud use. 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 clear indicator your hearing may already be damaged.
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. Instead, consider using noise-canceling headphones, which allow you to enjoy your music or podcasts at a much lower, safer volume. If you don’t have noise-canceling headphones, earplugs can be an effective alternative.
5. Always utilize earplugs in noisy settings
Earplugs are absolutely necessary for individuals often in loud settings, such as concerts, sports events, or while using heavy machinery. They are small, affordable, and easy to carry, making them a straightforward but effective tool for hearing protection.
Custom-fitted earplugs are offered for those who need them regularly, providing better fit and protection than generic options. In any loud setting, don’t forget to use them.
6. Adhere to safety recommendations at work
critically, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must obey 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. Take necessary steps to protect yourself by complying with all guidelines and wearing the right protective equipment.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
Sometimes the best way to protect your ears is simply to increase the space from the noise source. Distance reduces the intensity of sound impacting your ears, thereby 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. You can nonetheless 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
Should you already be dealing with hearing loss, it is imperative that you take action so it doesn’t progress. 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.
Failing to address the first indications of auditory loss will only quicken its advancement. Typically, individuals delay seeking treatment by a full 7 years. By consulting a hearing specialist without delay and investigating treatments such as hearing aids, you significantly improve the potential for maintaining your existing hearing.
Act now for better hearing
Take advantage of National Protect Your Hearing Month as the ideal reminder to make hearing health a top concern. 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.
To avoid future regret, set up a hearing test immediately and take responsibility for your auditory health.