Noise is a ubiquitous factor in our daily lives. Whether it’s gardening equipment, vehicles, or our own headphones, the aural world has intensified. The expanding volume of sound poses a significant risk to your auditory health unless precautions are taken. With National Protect Your Hearing Month taking place in October, now is the most suitable time to dedicate attention to keeping safe your hearing.
How to preserve your hearing: 8 key methods
It’s a relief that uncomplicated actions can be implemented to shield your ears from the constant noise you encounter daily. Here are eight top tips to safeguard your hearing.
1. Know volume levels and their impact
The initial action for averting auditory damage is to determine when a sound level becomes excessive. 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 reference:
- Lawn mowers and heavy traffic fall into the 85–90 dB range, which is 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.
- Noises exceeding 110 dB (e.g., explosions, fireworks) can lead to immediate damage in just seconds.
By being vigilant about how loud your surroundings are, you can effectively stay away from places that are harmful to your auditory health.
2. Check sound levels yourself
Want to know the actual volume of your surroundings? Your smartphone offers an easy way to measure it. You can download a range of complimentary sound meter applications to monitor the noise in your vicinity. For the most precise results, ensure you measure the sound from your usual distance to the source.
Using this tool regularly can help you better grasp your environment and make informed decisions about protecting your hearing.
3. Keep the volume down on your devices
One of the most frequent causes of gradual hearing damage is enjoying music or podcasts at an amplified level. The ease of headphones and earbuds often comes with hidden risks. For example, many headphones can exceed 100 dB, leading to hearing loss in just 15 minutes.
Current data suggests that more than a billion young individuals face the threat of hearing impairment due to loud earbud use. To be safe, keep your earbud volume below 50% of its full level to protect your hearing. The need to increase the volume past this point to hear suggests that you may already have some hearing damage.
4. Avoid using music to drown out background noise
When situated in a noisy environment or residing in a loud neighborhood, you may be tempted to use headphones to mask the surrounding noise. But cranking up the volume to overpower outside noise is detrimental. A better alternative is to use noise-canceling headphones, as they let you listen to music or podcasts at a significantly lower and safer volume. If you don’t have noise-canceling headphones, earplugs can be an effective alternative.
5. Always utilize earplugs in noisy environments
Earplugs are absolutely necessary for individuals often in loud settings, such as concerts, sports events, or while using heavy machinery. They are a very effective yet simple hearing protection solution, being compact, inexpensive, and portable.
If you use them often, custom-fitted earplugs can be obtained, offering improved protection and a better fit than off-the-shelf versions. You should always use them in any settings that are loud.
6. While at work, follow safety recommendations
Crucially, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must obey the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. Some workplaces may undervalue 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. It is vital to protect your hearing by using the correct protective gear and sticking to 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 lowers the intensity of sound impacting your ears, helping to minimize 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. 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. In contrast, 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. Auditory impairment is not self-reversing; it will continue to worsen. Statistics show that nearly 1 out of 10 adults in the 55-to-64 age group have considerable hearing loss, and this percentage jumps in later years.
When initial signs of hearing loss are disregarded, it only causes the impairment to progress faster. On average, people wait 7 years too long to seek help. The sooner you consult with a hearing specialist and look into hearing aids or other treatments, the better your chances of preserving your remaining hearing.
Start protecting your hearing now
National Protect Your Hearing Month is an excellent reminder to focus on your hearing health. Whether you’ve already experienced some hearing loss or want to avoid future damage, these straightforward steps can make a big difference.
To avoid future regret, arrange a hearing test today and take responsibility for your auditory health.