How to Protect Your Hearing
Protecting your hearing comes down to three levers: lower the volume, shorten the time, and increase the distance — plus wear protection when you cannot do the first three.
Key points
- Turn it down: even a few decibels dramatically extends safe listening time.
- Take breaks: step away from loud environments to let your ears recover.
- Move back: doubling your distance from a source cuts about 6 dB.
- Wear earplugs or earmuffs in loud places — concerts, ranges, workshops.
- Use the 60/60 rule for headphones: no more than 60% volume for 60 minutes at a time.
FAQ
Do earplugs really help at concerts?
Yes. Good earplugs cut roughly 15–30 dB, turning a dangerous 110 dB show into a much safer level while keeping the music clear.
More guides
How Loud Is Too Loud? Safe Decibel Levels ExplainedguideThe Decibel Scale: Why It Is LogarithmicguideHow Long Can You Safely Listen at Each VolumeguidedBA vs dBC: What Is the DifferenceguideHow to Measure Noise with a Sound Level MeterguideNoise-Induced Hearing Loss: How It HappensguideChoosing Hearing Protection: NRR ExplainedguideHow Distance Reduces Sound: The Inverse Square Lawguide