Noise is a constant part in our daily lives. From power tools and traffic to personal audio devices, the world is louder than ever. This rise in noise can have a detrimental effect on your hearing if you’re not careful. With National Protect Your Hearing Month taking place in October, now is the best time to dedicate attention to keeping safe your hearing.
How to safeguard your hearing: 8 key methods
It’s a relief that uncomplicated actions can be implemented to shield your ears from the ambient noise you encounter daily. Here are eight top tips to secure your hearing.
1. Understand noise levels and their impact
To begin curbing hearing loss, you must know when noise intensity is too loud to tolerate. Varying noises generate different decibel (dB) measurements; spending too much time around loud ones can result in permanent hearing damage. Here’s a quick guide:
- Lawn mowers and heavy traffic fall into the 85–90 dB range, which is safe for up to 2 hours of listening.
- 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.
A anticipatory mindset regarding noise levels enables you to keep away from environments that are detrimental for your hearing.
2. Check sound levels yourself
Curious about how loud your environment really is? Your smartphone offers an convenient way to measure these levels. You can download various complimentary sound meter applications to evaluate the noise in your vicinity. For the most accurate results, ensure you measure the sound from your usual distance to the source.
Regular use of this monitoring tool can enhance your understanding of your surroundings, leading to smarter choices about hearing protection.
3. Keep the volume down on your devices
One of the most frequent causes of long-term hearing damage is enjoying music or podcasts at volumes that are too high. Despite their practicality, headphones and earbuds often conceal certain risks. It’s important that numerous headphones can reach 100 dB, a level that can induce hearing loss in only 15 minutes of use.
Because they listen with earbuds at high volumes, more than a billion young people worldwide are currently facing a risk of hearing loss. 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
If you reside in a noisy neighborhood or frequently work in loud environments, it might be tempting to use headphones to drown out the background sound. It is actually harmful to increase the volume too high just to override external noise. 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. When in noisy settings, use earplugs
Whether you are at a concert, a sports event, or operating loud machinery, earplugs are crucial for those routinely exposed to loud environments. They are small, affordable, and easy to carry, making them a simple but effective tool for hearing protection.
If you use them often, custom-fitted earplugs can be purchased, offering improved protection and a better fit than off-the-shelf versions. In any loud setting, don’t be reluctant to use them.
6. While at work, follow safety guidelines
critically, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must obey the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. Some workplaces may downplay the risks, but those who claim “it’s not that loud” may already have considerable hearing loss and don’t realize the current noise levels. Take essential steps to protect yourself by observing all guidelines and wearing the designated protective equipment.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
The most effective means of hearing protection can often be just creating distance from the source of the loud sound. By increasing distance, the sound intensity hitting your ears is lessened, which works to 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.
Fireworks offer a good example. 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. In contrast, by seating yourself 2,000 feet away (approximately five football fields), you can experience the show at a safer level, under 100 dB.
8. Existing hearing loss needs to be addressed promptly
If you’ve already noticed hearing loss, it’s vital to act before it worsens. Auditory impairment is not self-reversing; it will continue to worsen. Nearly 1 in 10 adults between the ages of 55 and 64 has noticeable hearing loss, and those numbers increase dramatically in older age.
Ignoring the early symptoms of hearing loss only speeds up its progression. It is common for people to wait an average of 7 years longer than they should before getting professional help. 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
National Protect Your Hearing Month is an excellent reminder to prioritize your hearing health. These simple actions can have a significant impact, regardless of whether you’re seeking to avert future harm or you’ve already suffered some hearing loss.
book a hearing test now and assume control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.