We are surrounded by noise in our everyday existence. Our surroundings—from traffic and yard work to music via personal audio devices—is increasingly loud. Such loud conditions can compromise your hearing if you fail to be cautious. The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month in October provides the best opportunity to prioritize the maintenance of this key sense.
8 key suggestions to protect your hearing
Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to guard your hearing from the daily noise around you. Here are eight top tips to secure your hearing.
1. Become familiar with noise levels and their impact
To begin curbing hearing loss, you must know when noise intensity is dangerously high. Different sounds produce varying decibel (dB) levels, and long-term exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss. A fast look is below:
- Lawn mowers and heavy traffic fall into the 85–90 dB range, which is 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 allows you to keep away from environments that are detrimental for your hearing.
2. Measure sound levels yourself
Curious about how loud your environment really is? Your smartphone offers an easy way to measure these levels. There are many free applications that act as sound meters, allowing you to assess surrounding noise levels. The key to getting exact data is to take the measurement from the distance you normally maintain from the origin of the sound.
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
A significant way people negatively affect their hearing over time is by using their devices at elevated volume settings. Despite their practicality, headphones and earbuds often mask 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. If you need to raise the volume higher to hear, that’s a sign your hearing may already be damaged.
4. Never try to use music to drown out loud noise
For those who reside in loud areas or work in noisy settings, the urge to use headphones to overpower the ambient sound can be strong. But cranking up the volume to overpower outside noise is damaging. The preferred solution is noise-canceling headphones, which permit listening to media at a much reduced and safer volume. If you don’t have noise-canceling headphones, earplugs can be an effective alternative.
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. You should certainly use them in all environments that are loud.
6. While at work, follow safety guidelines
Crucially, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must ensure you follow the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. Be wary because some jobs may ignore the risks; individuals claiming “it’s not that loud” could be suffering from substantial hearing loss and thus misjudging the true noise level. It is vital to protect your hearing by wearing the necessary protective gear and abiding by the safety rules.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
Sometimes the best way to protect your ears is simply to increase the space from the noise source. The advantage of distance is that it lessens the sound’s intensity before it reaches your ears, thus helping 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.
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. In contrast, by seating yourself 2,000 feet away (approximately five football fields), you can view the show at a safer level, under 100 dB.
8. Existing hearing loss needs to be addressed promptly
Any existing hearing loss demands prompt action to keep it from escalating. Hearing loss doesn’t go away on its own; it progresses. Nearly 1 in 10 adults between the ages of 55 and 64 has noticeable hearing loss, and those numbers rise sharply in older age.
When initial signs of hearing loss are ignored, it only causes the impairment to progress faster. It is common for people to wait an average of 7 years longer than they should before getting professional help. The sooner you consult with a hearing specialist and consider hearing aids or other treatments, the better your chances of preserving your remaining hearing.
Take action today
National Protect Your Hearing Month is an ideal reminder to prioritize your hearing health. Whether you’ve already experienced some hearing loss or want to prevent future damage, these simple steps can make a big difference.
To avoid future regret, arrange a hearing test today and take responsibility for your auditory health.
