Music Lovers

How to look after your ears

It’s actually very simple to look after your hearing, and as with all things, prevention is better than cure. Here are some ideas.

When you’re listening to headphones:

Use good quality, well-fitting headphones

Go for quality headphones or earbuds that are a good fit; and consider noise-cancelling tech, you’ll appreciate the awesome sound and you won’t have to turn it up to drown out background noise.

Set a limit

Try limiting the volume on your device to around 80% and think about setting yourself a time limit too.

Take regular breaks

We all enjoy a wee rest and your ears are no exception, think about leaving the ‘phones at home now and then or try mixing it up with a podcast.

When you are out and about:

Get smart with your phone

Download a sound level app to find out how loud a venue is and how long it’s safe to listen.

Avoid the source of the sound

Let’s face it, sound quality is never great next to a speaker and it’s also where the sound is most damaging.

Let your friends know if it’s too loud

When it feels like it’s getting too loud, let your friends know about it – there’s a good chance they think so too.

Plug it

Get yourself some hearing protection, filtered earplugs preserve the quality of themusic while dropping the volume to a safer level (or opt for custom-fitted plugs if you’re a muso or sound engineer).

Remember noise injury is the only type of hearing loss that is completely preventable. Understand your risk and take simple steps to minimise your exposure and you can protect your hearing for life.