Noise is a ubiquitous part in our daily lives. From lawnmowers and road noise to personal audio devices, the world is louder than ever. Without adequate care, this higher level of noise can cause damage to your ears. The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month in October provides the perfect opportunity to focus on the conservation of this fundamental sense.
8 tips to protect your hearing
It’s a relief that basic actions can be implemented to shield your ears from the ambient noise you encounter daily. The following are eight core pointers for maintaining your hearing health.
1. Understand volume levels and their impact
Being conscious of how loud is too loud is the initial step in preventing hearing damage. 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.
- Over 110 dB: Fireworks, gunshots, explosions – Instant damage can happen after just a few seconds.
A anticipatory mindset regarding noise levels allows you to prevent environments that are detrimental for your hearing.
2. Check sound levels yourself
Want to know the actual volume of your surroundings? You can easily gauge it using your smartphone. You can download a range of complimentary sound meter applications to evaluate the noise in your vicinity. The key to getting reliable data is to take the measurement from the distance you usually maintain from the origin of the sound.
Regular use of this app can enhance your understanding of your surroundings, facilitating smarter choices about hearing protection.
3. Don’t crank up the volume on your devices
A significant way people harm their hearing over time is by using their devices at loud volume settings. Despite their practicality, headphones and earbuds often mask certain 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.
Because they listen with earbuds at high volumes, more than a billion young people worldwide are currently facing a risk of hearing loss. You should never set the volume on your earbuds higher than 50% of the maximum capacity if you want to preserve your ears. If you need to raise the volume higher to hear, that’s a signal your hearing may already be damaged.
4. Never try to use music to drown out loud noise
For those who live in loud areas or work in noisy settings, the urge to use headphones to overpower the ambient sound can be strong. However, turning the volume high enough to overpower the noise outside is unwise for your hearing. Opt instead for noise-canceling headphones; these devices make it possible to listen to your music or podcasts at a much reduced, safer level. If you don’t have noise-canceling headphones, earplugs can be an effective alternative.
5. When in noisy environments, use earplugs
For anyone regularly attending loud environments—whether at concerts, sporting events, or while operating heavy machinery—earplugs are a must. They are a highly effective yet simple hearing protection strategy, being compact, inexpensive, and portable.
Custom-fitted earplugs are offered for those who need them regularly, providing better comfort and protection than generic options. Never think twice about use earplugs when you are in a noisy location.
6. Follow safety recomendations at work
When your work necessitates being near loud machinery or equipment, you must strictly follow all safety procedures for hearing 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 perceive the current noise levels. Take essential steps to protect yourself by observing all guidelines and wearing the right protective equipment.
7. Move further away from loud noise
Sometimes the best way to protect your ears is simply to increase the space from the noise source. The benefit of distance is that it lessens the sound’s intensity before it reaches your ears, thus helping to minimize the risk of harm. For example, standing 20 feet away from a noise source producing 110 dB reduces it to around 100 dB—safe for up to 15 minutes of exposure.
Fireworks offer a good example. A firework exploding at 150 dB may seem far away, but if you’re near the launch site, the noise can still go beyond 120 dB, causing instant 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
It’s extremely important to take steps as soon as possible if you have any hearing loss to prevent further decline. 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 considerable hearing loss, and this percentage increases in later years.
When initial signs of hearing loss are ignored, it only causes the condition to progress faster. Usually, individuals delay seeking professional assistance by a full 7 years. By consulting a hearing specialist sooner and investigating treatments such as hearing aids, you maximize the potential for maintaining your existing hearing.
Start protecting your hearing now
The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month is an opportune time to place a high value on your auditory well-being. These simple actions can have a major impact, regardless of whether you’re seeking to prevent future harm or you’ve already experienced some hearing loss.
Don’t delay—book a hearing test now and gain control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.
