Noise is a constant presence in our daily lives. Our surroundings—from traffic and lawnmowers to music via earbuds—is increasingly loud. The growing volume of sound poses a significant risk to your auditory health unless precautions are taken. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to emphasize how to preserve this vital sense.
How to shield your hearing: 8 key methods
Fortunately, there are straightforward steps you can take to protect your ears from the everyday noise around you. Here are eight essential tips to secure your hearing.
1. Become familiar with noise levels and their affect
The most important action for averting auditory damage is to determine when a sound level becomes hazardous. The volume of various sounds is measured in decibels (dB), and being exposed to them for too long can cause irreversible hearing impairment. A fast look is below:
- 85–90 dB: Lawn mowers, heavy traffic – Safe for up to 2 hours of exposure.
- 100 dB: Motorcycles, construction machinery – Hearing damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes.
- Instant damage is possible after merely a few seconds of exposure to noises over 110 dB, like explosions, gunshots, or fireworks.
By being vigilant about how loud your surroundings are, you can effectively stay away from settings that are harmful to your auditory health.
2. Check sound levels yourself
Are you interested in discovering the true loudness of your environment? A smartphone makes measuring sound levels effortless. Several no-cost sound meter apps are accessible, allowing you to test noise levels around you. For the most precise results, ensure you measure the sound from your usual distance to the source.
Using this feature regularly can help you better understand your environment and make informed decisions about protecting your hearing.
3. Keep the volume down on your devices
Listening to music or podcasts at excessive volumes is one of the most common ways people damage their hearing over time. Headphones and earbuds, while convenient, frequently carry unrecognized 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.
Today, over a billion young people are at risk of hearing loss from using earbuds at high volumes. To be safe, keep your earbud volume below 50% of its full potential to protect your hearing. The need to increase the volume past this point to hear indicates 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 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. Should noise-canceling headphones not be an option, simple earplugs are a viable alternative.
5. Always use earplugs in loud environments
For anyone regularly attending loud environments—whether at concerts, sporting events, or while operating heavy machinery—earplugs are a must. Since they are small, affordable, and easy to transport, earplugs offer an easy but powerful means of 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. Follow safety guidelines at work
Crucially, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must obey the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. Be cautious because some jobs may discount the risks; individuals claiming “it’s not that loud” could be suffering from substantial hearing loss and thus misjudging the true noise level. 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 move away from the noise source. By increasing distance, the sound intensity reaching your ears is lessened, which helps reduce damage. 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.
The example of fireworks is instructive. Even if a 150 dB firework explosion appears distant, being close to the launch site means the noise could still be over 120 dB, resulting in immediate damage. By sitting 2,000 feet away (about five football fields), you can enjoy the show at a safer level below 100 dB.
8. Existing hearing loss needs to be addressed promptly
It’s extremely important to seek help as soon as possible if you have any hearing loss to prevent further deterioration. This kind of impairment will not resolve itself; it only advances. Particularly, almost 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. Usually, individuals delay seeking professional assistance by a full 7 years. Your ability to conserve the hearing you still have is greatly enhanced the earlier you see a hearing specialist to discuss options like hearing aids.
Start protecting your hearing now
Take advantage of National Protect Your Hearing Month as the ideal reminder to make hearing health a top concern. These fundamental steps are useful and can make a big change, whether your goal is to mitigate existing hearing loss or stop it from happening.
To avoid future regret, arrange a hearing test today and manage your auditory health.