How do I participate?
Register at www.onedaywithoutsound.org with your email and mailing address. You will receive information on how to protect your hearing and your One Day Without Sound Kit, including noise-reduction earplugs, for use on Friday, May 31, 2019. May is Better Hearing Month — a great time to reflect on how we take care of our hearing.
Refer your friends to onedaywithoutsound.org, and ask them to take the pledge with you! Let them know how precious their hearing is and how they can prevent noise-induced hearing loss.
Why should I take the pledge to protect my hearing?
Our hearing is precious. It connects us with friends and family. It enhances our life and learning experiences, both as children and adults. It can be essential for school and the workplace. Hearing loss has been directly linked to delays in communication development in children and may impede academic achievement. It also has been linked to social isolation, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and even reduced earning power.
Taking one day to recognize how difficult it is to have a hearing impairment gives us a chance to consider the ways we take care of our hearing throughout the year, in all types of potentially harmful listening situations.
Who can register to take the pledge and receive a One Day Without Sound Kit?
This opportunity is available to all who wish to remove sound from their life on May 31, in recognition of Better Hearing Month. To receive the kit, please enter your information into all required fields at the following registration site. Click here to register.
When will I receive my One Day Without Sound Kit?
Your noise-reduction earplugs and kit will be delivered mid-May, so you’ll have them in time for One Day Without Sound on May 31.
I received a kit, what do I do with it?
The hearing protection in your kit will reduce the level of noise you hear, but will not eliminate sound completely. Wear them as you can on May 31st for One Day Without Sound to raise your own awareness of the sounds around you. Take note of how your hearing connects you to your work, your family, and your environment. Take pictures and post on social media of your #ONEDAY experience.
While these earplugs are disposable, you can reuse them. Keep your earplugs in a place where you can easily retrieve them if you’ll be exposed to excessive noise levels. Typical situations include attending concerts, using power tools or outdoor machinery, watching fireworks, and hunting or shooting. Protecting and conserving the hearing you have now should be a way of life, not just an exercise for one day!
Can you tell me more about the noise-reduction earplugs?
Your noise-reduction earplugs, will fit most ears. They compress while you insert them into your ear canal and then expand when you release them. The earplugs are rated to reduce up to 25 decibels of sound, if inserted properly, and may be used once or multiple times. Keep in mind that the earplugs will not completely block out sound. For directions on inserting and removing your earplugs, please see the visual description on the container, or watch this short video guide.
Are the earplugs safe for adults and children?
Yes, when used as directed. The noise-reduction ear plugs in your kit will fit most ears, but may not fit some smaller ears. Watch this video to learn how to safely insert and remove your noise-reduction foam earplugs.
What if I work a job where I need to listen to my phone, sit in meetings or hear conversations?
It may not be practical or appropriate to eliminate every sound you hear for the entire day. You can take the pledge to spend the day without nonessential sound by turning off your radio and TV or eliminating unnecessary phone conversations. Encourage quiet activities, such as reading, at home during the evening. The goal should be to experience what people who have hearing loss feel each day of their lives by eliminating nonessential sounds for one day.
What is noise-induced hearing loss?
The inner ear contains microscopic hair cells that respond to mechanical sound vibrations received by the ear and then send electrical signals to the auditory nerve. Excessive noise can damage these hair cells, and if enough hair cells are damaged, hearing loss results. Unfortunately, hearing loss caused by noise is usually permanent..
Where can I learn more about noise induced hearing loss and unsafe levels of sound?
For information about the signs and symptoms of noise induced hearing loss, levels of sound, and how to protect your hearing, click here.
How much noise is unsafe?
People experience noise-induced hearing loss through one-time exposure to a very loud sound, such as a gunshot (140 to 190 decibels), or repeated exposure to moderately loud sounds (85 decibels or higher), such as a lawn mower, power tools, motorcycle or machinery at work. Click here for examples of typical decibel levels and the potential damage.
Please see below for a a few examples of typical decibel levels and the potential damage:
| Sound source | Decibels | Damage to hearing |
| Whisper | 30 dB | None |
| City traffic | 88 dB | After 4 hours of exposure |
| Riding a motorcycle | 97 dB | After 30 minutes of exposure |
| MP3 player | 100 dB | After 15 minutes of exposure |
| Stadium football game | 115 dB | After 30 seconds of exposure |
| Gunshot | 140 dB | Immediate |
Source: Better Hearing Institute
How can I prevent noise-induced hearing loss?
The hearing protection in your kit will reduce the level of noise you hear, but will not eliminate sound completely. Keep your earplugs in a place where you can easily retrieve them if you’ll be exposed to excessive noise levels. Typical situations include attending concerts, using power tools or outdoor machinery, watching fireworks and hunting or shooting. Protecting and conserving the hearing you have now should be a way of life, not just an exercise for one day!
Are there other hearing protection options for me and my family?
Yes! Your local Miracle-Ear Center can fit you with custom-made hearing protection, as well as swimmer’s earplugs, musician’s earplugs and hearing aids if you have a hearing loss. To find a location close to you, visit miracle-ear.com.
What should I do if I think I might have a hearing loss?
Hearing losses can be diagnosed by an ear, nose and throat physician (ENT), an audiologist or a hearing instrument specialist. If you think you may have a hearing loss, make an appointment at your local Miracle-Ear store for a free hearing exam.