October: National Protect Your Hearing Month

by Lindsay B. Robinson, HIA Program Manager

October 7, 2026

Observed throughout October, National Protect Your Hearing Month gives us a time to pause and consider one of the most important ways we connect with the world around us: our hearing.

Our inner ear contains several fragile parts such as microscopic hair cells and the smallest bones in our body. Loud sounds from audio, events, or power tools can damage hearing when the sound is too loud or exposure lasts too long. Noise-induced hearing loss can happen to people of any age, but it is the only completely preventable type of hearing loss.

This October, take a few simple steps to reduce the risk of noise-induced hearing loss for yourself and those around you:

• Turn it down. Be aware of your daily volume levels and make the decision to lower the volume on headphones, earbuds, TVs, and stereos.
• Be informed. Free apps such as NIOSH Sound Level Meter (SLM) can help you determine if nearby noise is damaging. Other apps are available that can measure volume inside earbuds or headphones to send an alert if you or a child is listening to audio or music at unsafe levels.
• Give your ears a break. Step away from loud environments or take regular breaks when you can. An easy safe listening practice for earbuds is to use the 60/60 rule: don’t listen to audio at more than 60% volume for longer than 60 minutes.
• Bring hearing protection for the whole family. Earplugs or earmuffs can help when you’re around loud sounds, such as concerts, sporting events, fireworks, power tools, or lawn equipment. Children may not recognize when a sound is too loud, so adults can help them make safer choices and provide hearing protection when needed.
• Headphones are best for little ears. Well-fitted headphones with volume-limiting technology can keep young ears protected from turning the volume too high or sudden loud sounds.
• Pay attention to your hearing. If you notice difficulty following conversations, frequently ask others to repeat themselves, or have concerns about your hearing, consider getting your hearing checked by a licensed hearing care professional.

Protecting your hearing isn’t just about avoiding loud environments. It’s about helping you and the people you love stay safe while remaining connected to the voices, music, events, and everyday sounds that make life meaningful.

To learn more about hearing health, visit hearing.org/ or explore a detailed FAQ about safe listening practices at https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/deafness-and-hearing-loss-safe-listening