We are enveloped by noise in our everyday existence. Whether it’s gardening equipment, vehicles, or our own headphones, the aural world has intensified. The expanding volume of sound poses a serious risk to your auditory health unless precautions are taken. As October marks National Protect Your Hearing Month, it serves as an excellent period to review how to safeguard this critical sense.
How to preserve your hearing: 8 key methods
Luckily, some simple measures exist that allow you to insulate your hearing from common environmental sounds. We present eight vital guidelines to ensure auditory protection.
1. Know noise levels and their impact
The initial action for staving off auditory damage is to determine when a sound level becomes hazardous. Diverse noises generate different decibel (dB) measurements; spending too much time around loud ones can result in permanent hearing damage. Here’s a quick reference:
- 85–90 dB: Lawn mowers, heavy traffic – 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.
- Instant damage is possible after merely a few seconds of exposure to noises over 110 dB, like explosions, gunshots, or fireworks.
Taking a proactive approach to noise awareness can help you avoid environments that are hazardous to your ears.
2. Determine sound levels yourself
Want to know the actual volume of your surroundings? You can easily determine it using your smartphone. 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.
Using this application regularly can help you better grasp your environment and make educated decisions about protecting your hearing.
3. Keep the volume down on your devices
One of the most frequent causes of long-term hearing damage is enjoying music or podcasts at volumes that are too high. Despite their practicality, headphones and earbuds often mask certain risks. It’s noteworthy that many 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 level to protect your hearing. If you find yourself turning the volume up beyond this limit, it likely means some degree of hearing loss has already occurred.
4. Avoid using music to drown out background 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. But cranking up the volume to overpower outside noise is harmful. 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. When in loud settings, use earplugs
Whether you are at a concert, a sports event, or operating loud machinery, earplugs are critical for those routinely exposed to loud environments. Since they are small, affordable, and easy to transport, earplugs offer an easy but powerful method of 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. While at work, follow safety recommendations
If your job involves being around loud equipment or machinery, always adhere to safety protocols regarding hearing protection. Some workplaces may minimize the risks, but those who claim “it’s not that loud” may already have significant hearing loss and don’t realize the current noise levels. It is vital to protect your hearing by using the correct protective gear and abiding by 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. Distance diminishes the intensity of sound reaching your ears, helping to 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.
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. However, by positioning yourself 2,000 feet away (approximately five football fields), you can experience 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 advances. Statistics show that approximately 1 out of 10 adults in the 55-to-64 age group have serious hearing loss, and this percentage increases in later years.
When initial signs of hearing loss are ignored, it only causes the condition to progress faster. It is common for people to wait an average of 7 years longer than they should before getting professional help. By consulting a hearing specialist sooner and exploring treatments such as hearing aids, you significantly improve the potential for retaining your existing hearing.
Take action today
The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month is an great 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 simple steps can make a big difference.
To avoid future regret, set up a hearing test immediately and take responsibility for your auditory health.