Acoustic interference is an unavoidable element of modern life. Whether it’s lawnmowers, vehicles, or our own headphones, the aural world has intensified. The growing volume of sound poses a significant threat to your auditory health unless you take measures. As October marks National Protect Your Hearing Month, it serves as an excellent period to review how to keep safe this important sense.
8 key suggestions to protect your hearing
Fortunately, there are straightforward steps you can take to protect your ears from the everyday noise around you. The following are eight core recommendations for protecting your hearing health.
1. Grasp volume levels and their impact
To begin preventing hearing loss, you must develop an awareness of when noise intensity is dangerously high. Diverse noises generate different decibel (dB) measurements; spending too much time around loud ones can result in permanent hearing damage. Consult this brief summary:
- 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 proactive about how loud your surroundings are, you can successfully 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? Your smartphone offers an convenient way to measure these levels. You can download various complimentary sound meter applications to monitor the noise in your vicinity. To get accurate results, measure from the distance you usually are from the sound source.
If you use this measuring method consistently, you’ll better understand your environment and be equipped to make sound choices to shield your hearing.
3. Don’t crank up the volume on your devices
Listening to music or podcasts at high volumes is one of the most common ways people damage their hearing over time. Despite their handiness, headphones and earbuds often conceal 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 safeguard your ears. 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. Avoid using music to drown out background noise
When working in a noisy environment or living in a loud neighborhood, you may be tempted to use headphones to mask the surrounding noise. But cranking up the volume to overpower outside noise is damaging. Instead, consider using noise-canceling headphones, which allow you to enjoy your music or podcasts at a much lower, less hazardous volume. In the absence of noise-canceling headphones, using earplugs is an effective substitute.
5. When in loud environments, use earplugs
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 uncomplicated but powerful method of hearing protection.
If you use them often, custom-fitted earplugs can be obtained, offering enhanced protection and a better fit than off-the-shelf versions. Never fail to use earplugs when you are in a noisy location.
6. Follow safety guidelines at work
When your work necessitates being near loud machinery or equipment, you must diligently follow all safety procedures for hearing protection. Some workplaces may undervalue the risks, but those who claim “it’s not that loud” may already have significant hearing loss and don’t perceive the current noise levels. You should protect your hearing by using the correct protective gear and sticking to the safety rules.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
Frequently, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to put distance between yourself and the noise. The advantage 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.
Fireworks offer a good example. 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. However, by positioning 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 requires prompt action to keep it from advancing. Auditory impairment is not self-reversing; it will continue to worsen. 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 indications of auditory loss will only hasten its advancement. On average, people wait 7 years too long to consult a specialist. The sooner you consult with a hearing specialist and look into hearing aids or other treatments, the better your chances of saving your remaining hearing.
Start protecting your hearing now
The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month serves as an opportune time to place a high value on your auditory well-being. Whether you’ve already experienced some hearing loss or want to avoid future damage, these straightforward steps can make a big difference.
Schedule a hearing test today and take control of your hearing health before it’s too late.