Small habits that protect your hearing

By Rachel Trinker, Au.D., CCC-A, Head of Audiology at CLARIA

You likely already have routines for taking care of your health. Perhaps you exercise, wear sunscreen, drink plenty of water, or try to get enough sleep. Hearing health can be approached in the same way.

There is no need for a complicated routine. A few simple habits are enough to make you more mindful of your hearing and to reduce unnecessary exposure to loud sounds.

Turn down the volume

Headphones and earbuds make it easy to listen to music, podcasts, television, or take calls throughout the day. What matters is not just the volume at which you listen, but also the length of time you listen.

Keep your personal listening at a comfortable level rather than consistently turning the volume all the way up. If you have been listening for a long time, give your ears a break. Many phones and listening devices can also alert you when your listening levels become too high: pay attention to these warnings instead of ignoring them.

Protect your ears when the noise rises

Concerts, sporting events, power tools, gardening equipment, motorcycles, and other noisy environments can expose your ears to potentially harmful sound levels.

If you know you are going to a noisy place, plan ahead. Earplugs or other appropriate hearing protection, such as CLARIA Shields, can reduce your sound exposure while still letting you enjoy the activities you love.

Give your ears moments of quiet

Noise exposure adds up. After spending time in a particularly noisy environment, moving away from the noise and staying in a quieter place for a while gives your ears a rest.

If you leave a noisy place with ringing in your ears or a feeling of muffled sound, take it seriously. These are signs that your ears have been exposed to more noise than they could safely handle.

Be mindful of changes

Another good habit is simply to notice when something feels different.

Perhaps speech suddenly seems harder to understand. Perhaps you are turning up the TV volume more than before, or you have trouble following conversations when several people are talking at once.

Rather than automatically blaming others for mumbling, ask yourself if it is time to have your hearing checked.

Add hearing to your wellness routine

Hearing wellness is not about thinking about your ears every day. It is about adopting a few habits that protect your hearing today, while knowing how to recognize when it is time to seek help.

During this National Wellness Month, make hearing health a habit. Turn down the volume when you can, protect your ears when you cannot, and be attentive to what your hearing—and your loved ones—might be trying to tell you.