We are constantly exposed to noise in our everyday existence. Whether it’s gardening equipment, heavy traffic, or our own headphones, the auditory world has intensified. This increase in noise can have a detrimental effect on your hearing if you’re not careful. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to focus on how to preserve this essential sense.
How to shield your hearing: 8 key methods
Fortunately, there are easy steps you can take to guard your hearing from the daily noise around you. Here are eight key tips to secure your hearing.
1. Understand noise levels and their impact
To begin curbing hearing loss, you must develop an awareness of when noise intensity is dangerously high. The volume of various sounds is measured in decibels (dB), and being subjected to them for too long can cause irreversible hearing impairment. Here’s a quick guide:
- Sounds like heavy traffic or lawn mowers (85–90 dB) can be tolerated safely for a maximum of 2 hours.
- 100 dB: Motorcycles, construction machinery – Hearing damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes.
- Over 110 dB: Fireworks, gunshots, explosions – Instant damage can happen after just a few seconds.
Taking a preventative approach to noise awareness can help you avoid environments that are hazardous to your ears.
2. Check sound levels yourself
Want to know the actual volume of your surroundings? A smartphone makes checking sound levels easy. You can download a range of complimentary sound meter applications to monitor the noise in your vicinity. 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 improve your understanding of your surroundings, leading to smarter choices about hearing protection.
3. Don’t crank up the volume on your devices
A major way people negatively affect their hearing over time is by using their devices at elevated volume settings. The convenience of headphones and earbuds often comes with unseen risks. It’s important that numerous headphones can reach 100 dB, a level that can induce hearing loss in only 15 minutes of use.
Current data suggests that more than a billion young individuals face the threat of hearing impairment due to excessive earbud use. 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 clear indicator your hearing may already be damaged.
4. Avoid using music to drown out background noise
When working in a noisy environment or residing in a loud neighborhood, you may be tempted to use headphones to mask the surrounding noise. It is in fact harmful to increase the volume too high just to override external noise. A better alternative is to use noise-canceling headphones, as they let you listen to music or podcasts at a far lower and safer volume. In the absence of noise-canceling headphones, using earplugs is an good substitute.
5. Always utilize earplugs in noisy environments
Whether you are at a concert, a sports event, or operating loud machinery, earplugs are critical for those often exposed to loud environments. Since they are small, affordable, and easy to transport, earplugs offer an easy but powerful means of hearing protection.
Custom-fitted earplugs are available for those who need them regularly, providing better comfort and protection than generic options. In any loud setting, don’t forget to use them.
6. Adhere to safety recommendations at work
If your job requires being around loud equipment or machinery, always adhere to safety protocols regarding hearing protection. Be wary because some jobs may discount the risks; individuals claiming “it’s not that loud” could be suffering from substantial hearing loss and thus misjudging the true noise level. Protect yourself by adhering to guidelines and wearing suitable protective equipment.
7. Move further away from loud noise
Often, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to step away from the noise. Distance diminishes the intensity of sound impacting your ears, thereby minimize damage. 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.
The example of fireworks is instructive. 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 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
Should you already be dealing with hearing loss, it is crucial that you take action so it doesn’t get worse. 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.
When initial signs of hearing loss are disregarded, it only causes the condition to progress faster. On average, people wait 7 years too long to consult a specialist. The sooner you consult with a hearing specialist and explore hearing aids or other treatments, the better your chances of preserving your remaining hearing.
Take action today
Use National Protect Your Hearing Month as a chance to make hearing health a main concern. 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.
To avoid future regret, arrange a hearing test immediately and take responsibility for your auditory health.
