Acoustic interference is an unavoidable aspect of modern life. Our surroundings—from commute sounds and lawnmowers to music via personal audio devices—is increasingly loud. The growing volume of sound poses a significant threat to your auditory health unless precautions are taken. With National Protect Your Hearing Month taking place in October, now is the best time to dedicate attention to preserving your hearing.
How to preserve your hearing: 8 key methods
Luckily, some simple measures exist that allow you to insulate your hearing from common environmental sounds. The following are eight primary recommendations for protecting your hearing health.
1. Become familiar with noise levels and their impact
The initial action for averting auditory damage is to recognize when a sound level becomes hazardous. The volume of various sounds is measured in decibels (dB), and being subjected to them for too long can cause lasting hearing impairment. Here’s a quick reference:
- 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.
- Noises exceeding 110 dB (e.g., explosions, fireworks) can lead to immediate damage in just seconds.
Taking a proactive approach to noise recognition can help you avoid environments that are dangerous to your ears.
2. Measure sound levels yourself
Are you interested in finding out the true loudness of your environment? You can easily gauge it using your smartphone. There are many free applications that act as sound meters, allowing you to examine surrounding noise levels. The key to getting reliable data is to take the measurement from the distance you usually maintain from the origin of the sound.
If you use this measuring method consistently, you’ll gain a clearer insight into your environment and be equipped to make sound choices to shield your hearing.
3. Don’t crank up the volume on your devices
Regularly playing music or podcasts too loudly is a primary contributor to cumulative hearing damage. Despite their handiness, headphones and earbuds often conceal certain risks. It’s important that numerous headphones can reach 100 dB, a level that can induce hearing loss in only 15 minutes of use.
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. Having to increase the volume past this point to hear indicates that you may already have some hearing damage.
4. Never try to use music to drown out loud noise
When situated in a noisy environment or living in a loud neighborhood, you may be tempted to use headphones to cancel the surrounding noise. However, turning the volume high enough to overpower the noise outside is dangerous for your hearing. 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 loud environments
Earplugs are absolutely necessary for individuals regularly in loud settings, such as concerts, sports events, or while using heavy machinery. 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. Never think twice about use earplugs when you are in a noisy location.
6. While at work, follow safety recommendations
critically, 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 realize the current noise levels. You should protect your hearing by wearing the correct protective gear and abiding by the safety rules.
7. Distance yourself from loud noise
The most effective means of hearing protection can often be just creating distance from the source of the loud sound. 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.
Consider fireworks as a relevant illustration. 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. By sitting 2,000 feet away (roughly five football fields), you can enjoy the show at a safer level below 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 get worse. Auditory impairment is not self-reversing; it will progress. Specifically, almost 10% of adults aged 55 to 64 suffer from major hearing loss, with the rates rising considerably among older demographics.
Ignoring the early signs of hearing loss only accelerates its progression. Typically, individuals delay seeking treatment by a full 7 years. By consulting a hearing specialist without delay and investigating treatments such as hearing aids, you maximize the potential for retaining your existing hearing.
Start protecting your hearing now
The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month serves as 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 future impairment.
Schedule a hearing test today and take charge of your hearing health before it’s too late.