Noise is a constant factor in our daily lives. Whether it’s gardening equipment, vehicles, or our own headphones, the aural world has intensified. Such loud conditions can compromise your hearing if awareness is lacking. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to emphasize how to maintain this crucial sense.
How to preserve your hearing: 8 key methods
It’s a relief that uncomplicated actions can be implemented to defend your ears from the ambient noise you encounter daily. We present eight vital pieces of advice to ensure auditory protection.
1. Become familiar with noise levels and their impact
To begin preventing hearing loss, you must develop an awareness of when noise intensity is too loud to tolerate. Different sounds produce varying decibel (dB) levels, and prolonged exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss. A fast look is below:
- 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.
- Over 110 dB: Fireworks, gunshots, explosions – Instant damage can happen after just a few seconds.
A forward-thinking mindset regarding noise levels allows you to prevent environments that are unsafe for your hearing.
2. Measure sound levels yourself
Curious about how loud your environment really is? You can easily measure it using your smartphone. There are many free applications that function as sound meters, enabling you to examine surrounding noise levels. The key to getting reliable data is to take the measurement from the distance you normally maintain from the origin of the sound.
Regular use of this monitoring tool can enhance your understanding of your surroundings, facilitating smarter choices about hearing protection.
3. Keep the volume down on your devices
A significant way people harm their hearing over time is by using their devices at loud volume settings. Headphones and earbuds, while convenient, frequently carry unrecognized dangers. 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. To protect your ears, never turn your earbuds above 50% of their maximum volume. 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
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 damaging. 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. Should noise-canceling headphones not be an option, simple earplugs are a viable alternative.
5. When in noisy environments, use earplugs
For anyone frequently exposed 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 straightforward but effective tool for hearing protection.
Custom-fitted earplugs are available 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. Follow safety recomendations at work
If your job requires being around loud equipment or machinery, always follow safety protocols regarding hearing protection. Be cautious because some jobs may discount the risks; individuals claiming “it’s not that loud” could be suffering from major hearing loss and thus misjudging the true noise level. Take necessary steps to protect yourself by complying with all guidelines and wearing the designated protective equipment.
7. Move further away from loud noise
Sometimes the best way to protect your ears is simply to increase the space from the noise source. Distance diminishes the intensity of sound impacting your ears, helping to minimize damage. For example, standing 20 feet away from a noise source producing 110 dB reduces it to around 100 dB—safe for up to 15 minutes of exposure.
The example of fireworks is instructive. 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. In contrast, 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
It’s key to seek help as soon as possible if you have some degree of hearing loss to prevent further deterioration. Hearing loss doesn’t go away on its own; it progresses. Particularly, close to 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 seek help. Your ability to conserve the hearing you still have is greatly enhanced the earlier you see a hearing specialist to review options like hearing aids.
Take action today
National Protect Your Hearing Month is an ideal reminder to prioritize your hearing health. These basic steps are useful and can make a big change, whether your goal is to reduce existing hearing loss or stop future impairment.
book a hearing test now and gain control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.
