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 significant risk to your auditory health unless you take measures. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it the perfect time to emphasize how to preserve this essential sense.

8 tips to protect your hearing

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 secure your hearing.

1. Become familiar with noise levels and their impact

Being aware of how loud is too loud is the primary step in preventing hearing damage. Different sounds produce varying decibel (dB) levels, and extended exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss. A fast look is below:

• 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.

A anticipatory mindset regarding noise levels allows you to prevent environments that are unsafe for your hearing.

2. Check sound levels yourself

Are you interested in finding out the true loudness of your environment? A smartphone makes checking sound levels easy. There are many free applications that act as sound meters, enabling you to examine surrounding noise levels. To get accurate results, measure from the distance you usually are from the sound 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

A major way people harm their hearing over time is by using their devices at elevated volume settings. Despite their handiness, headphones and earbuds often conceal certain risks. For example, many headphones can surpass 100 dB, leading to hearing loss in just 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. You should never set the volume on your earbuds higher than 50% of the maximum capacity if you want to safeguard your ears. Having 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

For those who reside 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. 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. In the absence of noise-canceling headphones, using earplugs is an good substitute.

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 uncomplicated but powerful means of hearing protection.

If you use them often, custom-fitted earplugs can be obtained, offering improved protection and a better fit than off-the-shelf versions. Never think twice about use earplugs when you are in a noisy location.

6. While at work, follow safety guidelines

Crucially, if your occupation exposes you to loud machinery or equipment, you must obey the established safety guidelines for auditory protection. Be wary because some jobs may ignore the risks; individuals claiming “it’s not that loud” could be suffering from major hearing loss and thus misjudging the true noise level. Protect yourself by adhering to guidelines and wearing proper protective equipment.

7. Move further away from loud noise

The simplest means of hearing protection can often be just moving back from the source of the loud sound. The advantage of distance is that it lessens the sound’s intensity before it reaches your ears, thus helping to minimize the risk of harm. 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. 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. You can still enjoy the display at a safer level, below 100 dB, by being 2,000 feet away (the length of about five football fields).

8. Address existing hearing loss promptly

Any existing hearing loss demands prompt action to keep it from advancing. Auditory impairment is not self-reversing; it will continue to worsen. Particularly, almost 10% of adults aged 55 to 64 suffer from substantial hearing loss, with the rates rising considerably 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 consult a specialist. The sooner you consult with a hearing specialist and consider hearing aids or other treatments, the better your chances of saving your remaining hearing.

Start protecting your hearing now

The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month is an opportune 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 straightforward steps can make a big difference.

To avoid future regret, set up a hearing test today and take responsibility for your auditory health.