People often see earplugs as something to use only in particular circumstances. There are many benefits of using earplugs in daily life. For instance, we might use earplugs when we’re working with power tools or use them when we’re at a loud festival to help keep our ears safe.
However, earplugs have many uses that can apply to everyday life and help in situations that range from helping you fall asleep to making air travel more bearable.
In this article, we’re going to talk about the benefits of using earplugs in everyday life and how they can make a difference for you.
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How Much Noise Is Dangerous?
There are different levels of noise. Most humans can only stand up to around 75 decibels of noise. If noise reaches 85 decibels or higher, then you could potentially suffer irreversible hearing loss.
Benefits of Using Earplugs
As a general point of reference, here are a couple of examples of the benefits of earplugs:
- Faint whispers come in at 30 decibels.
- Conversations can reach up to 60 decibels.
- A busy restaurant or cafe can be 70 decibels.
- Blenders, industrial workplaces, and a vacuum cleaner can reach up to 85 decibels.
- Hairdryers, loud trains, and a motorcycle can go past 90 decibels.
- A handheld drill, tractor, or car horn can go past 100 decibels.
- Concerts, sirens, and planes can go past 120 decibels.
Being exposed temporarily to a loud sound doesn’t put you at immediate risk unless it goes past 120 decibels. If a car speeds past, then it won’t put you at much risk. However, if a gun is fired near you, then the spike of around 140 decibels could cause temporary issues with your ear.
On the other hand, vacuuming for more than 10 minutes or drying your hair for longer than 5 minutes could start causing hearing loss, and you’ll start to experience the dangers of hearing loss when exposed for longer periods of time.
This is why it’s important to use earplugs–to ensure that your ears are protected from these noises and save yourself from experiencing hearing loss. However, there are also several other uses for earplugs that could help in everyday life.
1. Sleeping
If you’ve ever had trouble sleeping, then earplugs could be the solution. Whether it’s a noisy dorm room or your bedroom is close to a busy main road, earplugs for sleeping can help you block out noises and help you focus on sleeping.
Some earplugs double as earphones, meaning you can play relaxing sounds to help you fall asleep more easily, in addition to blocking out noises. They’re also great for helping you fall asleep on long train journeys or flights.
2. Loud Work
If you work on a construction site or in a busy kitchen, it’s important to use earplugs for work at certain times, such as when you operate loud machinery. However, it’s also important to take them off so you can listen to your surroundings.
Most earplugs are rated depending on how much sound they can block out, so some will be able to lower noise to a comfortable level and still allow you to listen to your surroundings.
3. Traveling
Be it a noisy public train or a loud plane taking off, earplugs are fantastic for helping you manage noise levels to a comfortable level when you’re out in public.
Earplugs are small and easy to carry around, and you can take them out whenever they’re needed. This makes them the perfect travel companion for when you’re exposed to loud noises during a commute to work. If you’re a frequent flyer, earplugs for flying are little lifesavers!
4. Swimming
A common concern for swimmers is the swimmer’s ear, an infection that occurs when water is trapped in the ears. Typically, swimmers will use an ear dryer to get rid of the water after swimming, but they can also wear earplugs.
This also helps anyone with pressure equalization tubes or a perforated eardrum and reduces an ear infection risk. If you’re required to swim in dirty or cold water, then earplugs for swimming can also help.
5. Music
If you’re attending a concert, you’ll need earplugs for protection from loud music, or if your work exposes you to loud music, such as working as a DJ, Barman, Promotions, Sound Technician, etc., then you’ll benefit from earplugs for musicians. It’s important to wear earplugs to keep the noise levels down.
Loud music is essential so that the crowd can hear what’s being played, but at times, the noise levels can become unsafe for long-term exposure, and it’s safer to use earplugs.
6. For Children
Children can also benefit from earplugs if they’re worried about the noises they’re exposed to. However, it’s often better for kids to wear earmuffs instead because they’re safer to use and still provide fantastic noise reduction.
Children should wear these when they’re going to be exposed to loud noises for a long period of time. This includes noisy events, fireworks, and concerts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, using earplugs regularly has a wide range of wonderful advantages that improve our general health and quality of life.
