Noise is a ubiquitous factor in our daily lives. From power tools and traffic to personal audio devices, the world is more cacophonous than ever. Such loud conditions can compromise your hearing if awareness is lacking. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to focus on how to maintain this vital sense.
8 key suggestions to protect your hearing
Luckily, a few simple measures exist that allow you to defend your hearing from common environmental sounds. Here are eight key tips to safeguard your hearing.
1. Become familiar with volume levels and their affect
Being conscious of how loud is too loud is the initial step in avoiding hearing damage. Varying noises generate different decibel (dB) measurements; spending too much time around loud ones can result in unrecoverable hearing damage. Consult this brief summary:
- 85–90 dB: Lawn mowers, heavy traffic – Safe for up to 2 hours of exposure.
- 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.
A forward-thinking mindset regarding noise levels enables you to prevent environments that are unsafe for your hearing.
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 various 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.
If you use this technique consistently, you’ll gain a clearer insight into your environment and be equipped to make wise choices to shield your hearing.
3. Don’t crank up the volume on your devices
Regularly playing music or podcasts too loudly is a leading contributor to progressive hearing damage. The ease of headphones and earbuds often comes with hidden risks. For example, many headphones can surpass 100 dB, leading to hearing loss in just 15 minutes.
Today, over a billion young people are at risk of hearing loss from using earbuds at high volumes. To protect your ears, never turn your earbuds above 50% of their maximum volume. If you find yourself turning the volume up just to be able to hear, 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 residing in a loud neighborhood, you may be tempted to use headphones to cancel the surrounding noise. But cranking up the volume to overpower outside noise is harmful. Opt instead for noise-canceling headphones; these devices make it possible to listen to your music or podcasts at a considerably reduced, safer level. In the absence of noise-canceling headphones, using earplugs is an efficient substitute.
5. When in noisy environments, use earplugs
Whether you are at a concert, a sports event, or operating loud machinery, earplugs are crucial for those often exposed to loud environments. They are a highly effective yet simple hearing protection strategy, being compact, inexpensive, and portable.
Individuals who require earplugs often can obtain custom-fitted ones, which give superior protection and comfort compared to standard types. Never fail to use earplugs when you are in a noisy location.
6. While at work, follow safety recommendations
If your job involves being around loud equipment or machinery, always follow safety protocols regarding hearing protection. While some employers may disregard the danger, those who insist “it’s not that loud” might already have serious hearing damage and be unaware of the actual volume. Protect yourself by following guidelines and wearing suitable protective equipment.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
Often, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to put distance between yourself and the noise. Distance reduces the intensity of sound impacting your ears, helping to minimize 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.
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 (about five football fields), you can enjoy the show at a safer level below 100 dB.
8. Address existing hearing loss promptly
If you’ve already experienced hearing loss, it’s critical to act before it worsens. This kind of impairment will not resolve itself; it only advances. Statistics show that approximately 1 out of 10 adults in the 55-to-64 age group have considerable hearing loss, and this percentage jumps in later years.
Failing to address the first warning signs of auditory loss will only hasten its advancement. It is common for people to wait an average of 7 years longer than they should before getting professional help. By consulting a hearing specialist sooner and exploring treatments such as hearing aids, you maximize the potential for retaining your existing hearing.
Take action today
The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month serves as an great time to place a high value on your auditory well-being. These simple actions can have a significant impact, regardless of whether you’re seeking to prevent future harm or you’ve already suffered some hearing loss.
book a hearing test now and gain control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.
