We are enveloped by noise in our everyday existence. Whether it’s lawnmowers, heavy traffic, or our own headphones, the auditory world has intensified. The growing volume of sound poses a serious risk to your auditory health unless precautions are taken. As October marks National Protect Your Hearing Month, it serves as an ideal period to review how to safeguard this critical sense.
8 tips to protect your hearing
Luckily, a few simple measures exist that allow you to defend your hearing from routine environmental sounds. The following are eight core pointers for maintaining your hearing health.
1. Become familiar with noise levels and their impact
The most important action for averting auditory damage is to recognize when a sound level becomes excessive. Varying noises generate different decibel (dB) measurements; spending too much time around loud ones can result in unrecoverable hearing damage. Consult this brief summary:
- 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.
- Noises exceeding 110 dB (e.g., explosions, fireworks) can lead to immediate damage in just seconds.
Taking a proactive approach to noise recognition can help you steer clear of environments that are hazardous 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. You can download a range of complimentary sound meter applications to evaluate the noise in your vicinity. For the most accurate results, ensure you measure the sound from your typical distance to the source.
Using this tool regularly can help you better grasp your environment and make educated decisions about protecting your hearing.
3. Keep the volume down on your devices
Listening to music or podcasts at high volumes is one of the most common ways people damage their hearing over time. The convenience of headphones and earbuds often comes with unseen risks. It’s noteworthy that numerous 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. Crucially, keep your earbud volume below 50% of its full level to protect your hearing. If you need to raise the volume higher to hear, that’s a sign your hearing may already be damaged.
4. Never try to use music to drown out loud noise
When situated in a noisy environment or living in a loud neighborhood, you may be tempted to use headphones to mask the surrounding noise. It is in fact harmful to increase the volume too high 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 utilize earplugs in noisy settings
Whether you are at a concert, a sports event, or operating loud machinery, earplugs are crucial for those often exposed to loud environments. Since they are small, affordable, and easy to transport, earplugs offer an uncomplicated but powerful means of hearing protection.
Individuals who use earplugs often can get custom-fitted ones, which give superior protection and comfort compared to standard types. You should always use them in any settings that are loud.
6. While at work, follow safety recommendations
When your work necessitates being near loud machinery or equipment, you must diligently follow all safety procedures for hearing protection. Some workplaces may undervalue the risks, but those who claim “it’s not that loud” may already have considerable hearing loss and don’t perceive the current noise levels. You should protect your hearing by wearing the necessary protective gear and abiding by the safety rules.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
The most effective means of hearing protection can often be just moving back from the source of the loud sound. 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. 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.
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. 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
Any existing hearing loss requires prompt action to keep it from escalating. Hearing loss doesn’t go away on its own; it progresses. Statistics reveal that nearly 1 out of 10 adults in the 55-to-64 age group have serious hearing loss, and this percentage jumps in later years.
Failing to address the first warning signs of auditory loss will only quicken its advancement. Typically, individuals delay seeking professional assistance by a full 7 years. 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
National Protect Your Hearing Month is an perfect reminder to focus on your hearing health. These simple actions can have a major impact, regardless of whether you’re seeking to avert future harm or you’ve already experienced some hearing loss.
Schedule a hearing test today and take charge of your hearing health before it’s too late.