Acoustic interference is an unavoidable feature of modern life. Our surroundings—from commute sounds and yard work to music via earbuds—is increasingly loud. This increase in noise can have a harmful effect on your hearing if you’re not careful. With National Protect Your Hearing Month taking place in October, now is the most suitable time to dedicate attention to keeping safe your hearing.

8 tips to protect your hearing

Fortunately, there are easy steps you can take to protect your ears from the daily noise around you. We present eight crucial pieces of advice to keep your hearing safe.

1. Grasp noise levels and their impact

To begin curbing hearing loss, you must know when noise intensity is too loud to tolerate. The volume of various sounds is measured in decibels (dB), and being subjected to them for too long can cause irreversible hearing impairment. Consult this brief summary:

• 85–90 dB: Lawn mowers, heavy traffic – Safe for up to 2 hours of exposure.
• 100 dB: Motorcycles, construction machinery – Hearing damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes.
• Over 110 dB: Fireworks, gunshots, explosions – Instant damage can happen after just a few seconds.

A forward-thinking mindset regarding noise levels enables you to prevent environments that are detrimental for your hearing.

2. Measure sound levels yourself

Want to know the actual volume of your surroundings? You can easily gauge it using your smartphone. You can download various complimentary sound meter applications to monitor the noise in your vicinity. The key to getting reliable data is to take the measurement from the distance you usually maintain from the origin of the sound.

Using this tool regularly can help you better interpret 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. Headphones and earbuds, while convenient, frequently carry unrecognized dangers. For example, many headphones can exceed 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. Crucially, keep your earbud volume below 50% of its full potential to protect your hearing. 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

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. It is in fact harmful to increase the volume excessively just to override external noise. Instead, consider using noise-canceling headphones, which allow you to enjoy your music or podcasts at a much lower, less hazardous volume. Should noise-canceling headphones not be an option, simple earplugs are a viable alternative.

5. Always use earplugs in loud settings

For anyone regularly attending 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.

If you use them often, custom-fitted earplugs can be purchased, offering enhanced 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 recommendations

If your job involves being around loud equipment or machinery, always adhere to safety protocols regarding hearing protection. Be wary because some jobs may ignore the risks; individuals claiming “it’s not that loud” could be suffering from substantial hearing loss and thus misjudging the true noise level. Take essential steps to protect yourself by complying with all guidelines and wearing the designated protective equipment.

7. Move further away 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 helps reduce 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.

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. However, by positioning yourself 2,000 feet away (approximately five football fields), you can view the show at a safer level, under 100 dB.

8. Address existing hearing loss 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. Nearly 1 in 10 adults between the ages of 55 and 64 has significant hearing loss, and those numbers rise sharply in older age.

Failing to address the first indications of auditory loss will only hasten its advancement. It is common for people to wait an average of 7 years longer than they should before getting professional help. Your ability to conserve the hearing you still have is improved the earlier you see a hearing specialist to review options like hearing aids.

Take action today

The observance of National Protect Your Hearing Month serves as an opportune time to place a high value on your auditory well-being. These simple actions can have a significant impact, regardless of whether you’re seeking to prevent future harm or you’ve already experienced some hearing loss.

Schedule a hearing test today and take control of your hearing health before it’s too late.