We are surrounded by noise in our everyday existence. Our surroundings—from traffic and lawnmowers to music via earbuds—is increasingly loud. Without proper 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 prioritize the conservation of this key sense.
8 actionable steps to protect your hearing
Luckily, a few simple measures exist that allow you to defend your hearing from routine environmental sounds. Here are eight top tips to safeguard your hearing.
1. Become familiar with noise levels and their impact
Being aware of how loud is too loud is the first step in avoiding hearing damage. The volume of various sounds is measured in decibels (dB), and being subjected to them for extended durations can cause irreversible hearing impairment. 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.
- At 100 dB (e.g., motorcycles, construction machinery), hearing damage can begin after only 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 proactive about how loud your surroundings are, you can effectively stay away from places that pose a threat to your auditory health.
2. Check sound levels yourself
Curious about how loud your environment really is? A smartphone makes checking sound levels effortless. There are many free applications that act as sound meters, enabling you to assess surrounding noise levels. For the most accurate results, ensure you measure the sound from your usual distance to the source.
Regular use of this app can enhance your understanding of your surroundings, leading to smarter choices about hearing protection.
3. Don’t crank up the volume 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 handiness, headphones and earbuds often mask certain risks. For example, many headphones can surpass 100 dB, resulting in hearing loss in just 15 minutes.
Current data suggests that more than a billion young individuals face the threat of hearing impairment due to loud earbud use. You should never set the volume on your earbuds higher than 50% of the maximum capacity if you want to safeguard your ears. If you find yourself turning the volume up beyond this limit, it likely means some degree of hearing loss has already occurred.
4. Never try to use music to drown out loud noise
When working in a noisy environment or living in a loud neighborhood, you may be tempted to use headphones to cancel the surrounding noise. However, turning the volume high enough to overpower the noise outside is dangerous for your hearing. Instead, consider using noise-canceling headphones, which allow you to enjoy your music or podcasts at a much lower, less hazardous volume. Should noise-canceling headphones not be an option, simple earplugs serve as a viable alternative.
5. When in noisy settings, use earplugs
Whether you are at a concert, a sports event, or operating loud machinery, earplugs are critical for those routinely exposed to loud environments. They are a very effective yet simple hearing protection strategy, being compact, inexpensive, and portable.
If you use them often, custom-fitted earplugs can be purchased, offering improved protection and a better fit than off-the-shelf versions. Never fail to use earplugs when you are in a noisy location.
6. Adhere to safety recomendations at work
When your work necessitates being near loud machinery or equipment, you must diligently follow all safety procedures for hearing 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. Protect yourself by following guidelines and wearing appropriate protective equipment.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
Frequently, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to step away from the noise. The benefit of distance is that it lessens the sound’s intensity before it reaches your ears, thus serving to minimize the risk of harm. 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. 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. In contrast, by positioning yourself 2,000 feet away (approximately five football fields), you can view the show at a safer level, under 100 dB.
8. Address existing hearing loss promptly
If you’ve already experienced hearing loss, it’s critical to act before it worsens. Auditory impairment is not self-reversing; it will progress. Nearly 1 in 10 adults between the ages of 55 and 64 has significant hearing loss, and those numbers increase dramatically in older age.
When initial signs of hearing loss are disregarded, it only causes the condition to progress faster. It is common for people to wait an average of 7 years longer than they should before seeking a consultation. By consulting a hearing specialist sooner and exploring treatments such as hearing aids, you significantly improve the potential for retaining your existing hearing.
Take action today
Use National Protect Your Hearing Month as a chance to make hearing health a main concern. Whether you’ve already experienced some hearing loss or want to prevent future damage, these simple steps can make a big difference.
book a hearing test now and assume control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.
