When we think about physical health, we often focus on exercise, nutrition, and sleep. But there’s another important—and often overlooked—part of your wellbeing: your hearing.
Noise is more than just an annoyance. Prolonged or repeated exposure to loud sounds can lead to permanent hearing loss and tinnitus (a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears). These conditions can affect your ability to communicate, concentrate, and even your mental health.
You don’t need to live in silence to protect your ears. Here are some simple, effective ways to reduce your risk:
- Turn it down: Keep the volume at or below 60% when using headphones or earbuds.
- Take breaks: Step away from loud environments like concerts, sporting events, or construction zones.
- Use protection: Wear earplugs or earmuffs when using power tools, attending loud events, or riding motorcycles or snowmobiles.
- Check your surroundings: If you need to raise your voice to be heard, it’s probably too loud.
- Limit exposure: Schedule quiet time after noisy activities to give your ears a chance to recover.
Whether you’re gaming, playing an instrument, or doing home renovations, your ears are at risk. Adjust your audio settings, wear hearing protection, and take regular breaks to reduce strain.
Children’s ears are especially sensitive. Encourage safe listening habits early by:
- Limiting headphone volume
- Using noise cancelling headphones to avoid cranking up the volume
- Teaching kids to wear ear protection during loud activities
Hearing health is closely tied to your overall wellbeing. Protecting your ears helps you stay connected, alert, and engaged with the world around you.
Your ears work hard for you—take care of them. A few small changes today can make a big difference in your hearing tomorrow.
For more information on noise and sound, visit: Noise and sound: Protect your hearing health – Canada.ca
