With summer in full swing, many are looking to spend more time outdoors (while social distancing, of course!), especially after being locked indoors during the colder seasons, and for quarantine. While we are not discouraging having some fun in the sun, making sure you are smart about how you are spending your time can have a positive effect on your hearing health. Some of the summertime activities we may get involved in can get loud, and if you are not careful, you could fall victim to noise-induced hearing loss. But, following our helpful summer hearing health tips below can help you mitigate your chances of hearing loss.
While the summer is a time for relaxation, you should never relax on keeping your ears healthy. Check out these useful summer hearing health tips, and learn how to protect your ears from the sounds of summer.
• It can get hot during the summer, scorching even, so it’s understandable if you want to spend the day at the pool or beach. However, when it comes to water and your ears, it’s important to keep your ears protected. Wearing earplugs can help keep your ears dry internally. Otherwise, it is crucial that you thoroughly dry your ears after you get out of the water. Otherwise, you run a risk of developing an ear infection, or swimmer’s ear.
• The use of earbuds and headphones can increase during the summer, as people are likely to listen to their personal music playlist when they are gardening, exercising, or even relaxing by the pool. While shielding others from the source of music is considered to be polite, misusing headphones can increase your chances of noise-induced hearing loss. When listening to music via headphones, watch the volume level, and take breaks periodically.
• The noises of summer can get loud, and if you often frequent events around your neighborhood, you may encounter loud sounds that could potentially damage your hearing. Maybe your date is taking you to see a big fireworks show, or you get dragged to a concert by your friends at the last moment. You never know where the day may lead you, so make sure you are always prepared by keeping a pair of earplugs handy.
• If you ever find yourself at a loud event, and you do not have a way of obtaining a pair of earplugs, make sure you distance yourself as far away as possible from the source of the sound. By increasing the distance between the source of noise and yourself, you can reduce the decibel level of sound, lessening your chances of damage. Also, taking periodic breaks from the loud sound and replacing it with periods of silence is necessary to help keep your ears healthy.
• If you wear hearing aids, you have to be mindful of the fact that the water, humidity, and sweat are not friendly to your device. Your hearing aids will need some extra TLC during the summer, as increased moisture can shorten the lifespan of your device, and could even negatively affect usability. Remember to take out your hearing aids when you plan on getting in the water, and keep them stored in a safe place, or within a hearing aid dehumidifier. Also, take care when applying sunscreen, and avoid getting any on your hearing aids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wearing earplugs while swimming or spending time in water can help keep your ears dry and prevent infections such as swimmer’s ear. Additionally, ensure you thoroughly dry your ears after getting out of the water to reduce the risk of developing ear infections.
To prevent noise-induced hearing loss, keep the volume at a moderate level when using earbuds or headphones and take frequent breaks. This practice will protect your hearing while enjoying music during outdoor activities like gardening or exercising.
Always carry a pair of earplugs when attending loud events to shield your ears from damaging noise levels. If earplugs are not available, try to stay as far away from the sound source as possible and take regular breaks in quieter areas to give your ears time to recover.
Hearing aids are sensitive to water, humidity, and sweat, which can harm their functionality. Remove your hearing aids before swimming, store them safely or use a hearing aid dehumidifier, and avoid getting sunscreen on them to prolong their lifespan and maintain usability.
Taking breaks from loud sounds allows your ears to rest and recover from potential noise damage. Periods of silence help prevent long-term hearing loss by reducing continuous exposure to high decibel levels found at many summer events.
Yes, exposure to loud noises common during summer events like concerts or fireworks can cause noise-induced hearing loss if proper precautions are not taken. Protecting your ears with earplugs and limiting exposure duration are essential to prevent permanent damage.
Sun, heat, humidity, and sweat can damage hearing aids by shortening their lifespan and affecting functionality. Extra care, such as removing them before water exposure, using dehumidifiers, and avoiding sunscreen contact, helps maintain their performance during summer.