An Audiologist’s Top Daily Tips For Preventing Hearing Loss

“Come Again?”: Noise can be inescapable, from everyday sounds of traffic and restaurant chatter to the cacophony of a concert or sporting event. In between, we’re often pumping in more noise on purpose: podcasts during our commute, workout playlists at the gym, the white noise machine next to our bed. This might not feel too bad in the moment — but with enough exposure, this kind of noise can damage our hearing. Hearing loss by itself is bad enough, but it’s also associated with an increased risk of dementia. We’ve found some top tips for keeping your hearing as crystal-clear as possible. 

The Benefits: Anything exceeding 85 decibels can damage your ears. A lawnmower clocks in at about 100 decibels. A concert? About 115. Some hearing loss is common as we age, but the link to dementia comes from losing brain stimulation from listening to and engaging in conversations.

How to Do It: Always wear hearing protection when you’re going to a concert or doing chores with noisy machinery (we like these). Keep the TV as low as you can. (You shouldn’t be able to hear it from another room.) Follow the “60-60 rule” with earbuds and headphones: no more than 60% volume for no longer than 60 minutes at a time.