Noise is a ever-present factor in our daily lives. From power tools and road noise to personal audio devices, the world is louder than ever. Without adequate care, this higher level of noise can cause damage to your sense of hearing. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to emphasize how to preserve this vital 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. We present eight crucial guidelines to ensure auditory protection.
1. Become familiar with volume levels and their affect
To begin curbing hearing loss, you must develop an awareness of when noise intensity is too loud to tolerate. Diverse noises generate different decibel (dB) measurements; spending too much time around loud ones can result in permanent hearing damage. Consult this brief table:
- Lawn mowers and heavy traffic fall into the 85–90 dB range, which is safe for up to 2 hours of exposure.
- 100 dB: Motorcycles, construction machinery – Hearing damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes.
- Noises exceeding 110 dB (e.g., explosions, fireworks) can lead to immediate damage in just seconds.
By being vigilant about how loud your surroundings are, you can successfully stay away from settings that pose a threat to your auditory health.
2. Measure sound levels yourself
Curious about how loud your environment really is? A smartphone makes checking sound levels effortless. Several free sound meter apps are available, allowing you to test noise levels around you. To get accurate results, measure from the distance you usually are from the sound source.
Using this application regularly can help you better understand your environment and make educated decisions about protecting your hearing.
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 an amplified level. Despite their practicality, 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.
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
For those who live in loud areas or work in noisy settings, the urge to use headphones to overpower the ambient sound can be strong. It is actually harmful to increase the volume too high just to override external noise. Opt instead for noise-canceling headphones; these devices make it possible to listen to your music or podcasts at a much reduced, safer level. If you don’t have noise-canceling headphones, earplugs can be an effective alternative.
5. When in noisy environments, use earplugs
For anyone often in loud environments—whether at concerts, sporting events, or while operating heavy machinery—earplugs are a must. 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 enhanced protection and a better fit than off-the-shelf versions. You should always use them in any settings that are loud.
6. Adhere to safety guidelines at work
Crucially, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must ensure you follow the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. While some employers may underestimate the danger, those who insist “it’s not that loud” might already have noticeable hearing damage and be unaware of the actual volume. Protect yourself by following guidelines and wearing proper protective equipment.
7. Distance yourself 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 hitting your ears is lessened, which helps reduce damage. To illustrate, moving 20 feet back from a 110 dB sound source can lower the level to about 100 dB, which is safe for 15 minutes of exposure.
The example of fireworks demonstrates this well. A firework exploding at 150 dB may seem far away, but if you’re near the launch site, the noise can still exceed 120 dB, causing instant damage. You can still enjoy the display at a safer level, below 100 dB, by being 2,000 feet away (the length of about five football fields).
8. Address existing hearing loss promptly
If you’ve already noticed hearing loss, it’s essential to act before it worsens. Hearing loss doesn’t go away on its own; it progresses. Particularly, almost 10% of adults aged 55 to 64 suffer from substantial hearing loss, with the rates climbing steeply among older demographics.
Failing to address the first indications of auditory loss will only hasten its advancement. Typically, individuals delay seeking treatment by a full 7 years. Your ability to conserve the hearing you still have is improved the earlier you see a hearing specialist to review options like hearing aids.
Act now for better hearing
National Protect Your Hearing Month is an perfect reminder to focus on your hearing health. These easy-to-follow actions can have a significant impact, regardless of whether you’re seeking to prevent future harm or you’ve already experienced some hearing loss.
Don’t delay—book a hearing test now and gain control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.