Noise is a ever-present presence in our daily lives. From lawnmowers and traffic to personal audio devices, the world is louder than ever. The expanding volume of sound poses a serious 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 protect this vital sense.

8 key suggestions to protect your hearing

Luckily, some simple measures exist that allow you to defend your hearing from routine environmental sounds. The following are eight primary recommendations for protecting your hearing health.

1. Grasp noise levels and their impact

Being conscious of how loud is too loud is the initial step in preventing hearing damage. Different sounds produce varying decibel (dB) levels, and long-term exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss. Consult this brief table:

• Lawn mowers and heavy traffic fall into the 85–90 dB range, which is safe for up to 2 hours of listening.
• 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.

By being proactive 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

Curious about how loud your environment really is? You can easily gauge it using your smartphone. There are many free applications that function as sound meters, enabling you to assess 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.

If you use this technique consistently, you’ll gain a clearer insight into your environment and be prepared to make wise choices to shield your hearing.

3. Keep the volume down on your devices

A significant way people harm their hearing over time is by using their devices at elevated volume settings. Despite their handiness, headphones and earbuds often mask certain risks. For example, many headphones can surpass 100 dB, resulting in hearing loss in just 15 minutes.

Today, over a billion young people are at risk of hearing loss from using earbuds at high volumes. You should never set the volume on your earbuds higher than 50% of the maximum capacity if you want to preserve your ears. If you need to raise the volume higher to hear, that’s a signal your hearing may already be damaged.

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. However, turning the volume high enough to overpower the noise outside is unwise for your hearing. 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 use earplugs in loud environments

For anyone regularly attending loud environments—whether at concerts, sporting events, or while operating heavy machinery—earplugs are a must. Since they are small, affordable, and easy to transport, earplugs offer an uncomplicated but powerful means of hearing protection.

Individuals who use earplugs often can get custom-fitted ones, which give superior protection and comfort compared to standard types. You should always use them in any settings that are loud.

6. While at work, follow safety recommendations

When your work involves being near loud machinery or equipment, you must strictly follow all safety procedures for hearing protection. While some employers may underestimate the danger, those who insist “it’s not that loud” might already have serious hearing damage and be unaware of the actual volume. You should protect your hearing by using the necessary protective gear and sticking to the safety rules.

7. Distance yourself from loud noise

Often, the best strategy for safeguarding your ears is merely to put distance between yourself and the noise. By increasing distance, the sound intensity hitting your ears is lessened, which works to reduce 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.

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. Existing hearing loss needs to be addressed promptly

If you’ve already noticed hearing loss, it’s vital to act before it worsens. Auditory impairment is not self-reversing; it will progress. Nearly 1 in 10 adults between the ages of 55 and 64 has noticeable hearing loss, and those numbers rise sharply in older age.

When initial signs of hearing loss are disregarded, it only causes the impairment to progress faster. Typically, individuals delay seeking treatment by a full 7 years. Your ability to protect 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 perfect reminder to focus on your hearing health. These simple actions can have a major impact, regardless of whether you’re seeking to prevent future harm or you’ve already suffered some hearing loss.

book a hearing test now and gain control over your hearing health before the opportunity is gone.