Noise is a constant presence in our daily lives. From lawnmowers and traffic to personal audio devices, the world is louder than ever. The expanding volume of sound poses a serious threat to your auditory health unless precautions are taken. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to focus on how to protect this essential sense.
How to preserve your hearing: 8 key methods
Fortunately, there are easy steps you can take to protect your ears from the daily noise around you. We present eight vital pieces of advice to ensure auditory protection.
1. Grasp volume levels and their impact
To begin preventing hearing loss, you must develop an awareness of when noise intensity is dangerously high. Varying noises generate different decibel (dB) measurements; spending too much time around loud ones can result in permanent hearing damage. Consult this brief table:
- Sounds like heavy traffic or lawn mowers (85–90 dB) can be tolerated safely for a maximum of 2 hours.
- 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.
By being proactive about how loud your surroundings are, you can successfully stay away from places that are harmful to your auditory health.
2. Measure sound levels yourself
Are you interested in discovering the true loudness of your environment? Your smartphone offers an simple way to measure these levels. You can download a range of 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.
Using this tool 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
Listening to music or podcasts at excessive volumes is one of the most common ways people damage their hearing over time. The ease of headphones and earbuds often comes with hidden risks. It’s noteworthy 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. Crucially, keep your earbud volume below 50% of its full potential to protect your hearing. 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
If you live in a noisy neighborhood or frequently work in loud environments, it might be enticing to use headphones to block out the background sound. It is actually harmful to increase the volume too high just to override outside noise. Instead, consider using noise-canceling headphones, which allow you to enjoy your music or podcasts at a much lower, less hazardous volume. If you don’t have noise-canceling headphones, earplugs can be an effective alternative.
5. Always use earplugs in noisy environments
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 small, affordable, and easy to carry, making them a simple but effective tool for hearing protection.
Custom-fitted earplugs are offered for those who need them regularly, providing better fit and protection than generic options. In any loud setting, don’t forget to use them.
6. Adhere to safety recommendations at work
Crucially, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must obey the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. Some workplaces may downplay the risks, but those who claim “it’s not that loud” may already have considerable hearing loss and don’t perceive the current noise levels. Protect yourself by following guidelines and wearing proper protective equipment.
7. Move further away from loud noise
Frequently, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to step away from the noise. By increasing distance, the sound intensity reaching your ears is lessened, which works to 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.
Fireworks offer a good example. Even if a 150 dB firework explosion appears distant, being close to the launch site means the noise could still be over 120 dB, leading to immediate 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. Address existing hearing loss promptly
Should you already be dealing with hearing loss, it is crucial that you take action so it doesn’t progress. This kind of impairment will not resolve itself; it only gets worse. Specifically, 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 warning signs of auditory loss will only hasten its advancement. On average, people wait 7 years too long to consult a specialist. 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
The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month is an opportune time to place a high value on your auditory well-being. These basic steps are effective and can make a big change, whether your goal is to reduce existing hearing loss or stop it from happening.
Schedule a hearing test today and take charge of your hearing health before it’s too late.