If you’re one of the many who are planning a vacation this summer, it’s important to know how to keep your ears safe when traveling by plane.
How Flying Can Affect Your Hearing
Exposure to loud noises has the potential to damage your hearing. While you might assume this mainly applies to activities like working construction sites or attending concerts, it can happen on plane rides as well.
The National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that all worker exposures to noise be below 85 decibels (dB) for eight hours to minimize the risk of noise induced hearing loss.
The noise inside a plane stays right around 80-85 dBs for most of the flight. However, it can get upwards of 105 decibels during takeoff and landing. If you fly frequently or are on an especially long trip, it’s possible this level of noise could damage to your ears.
Tips to Reduce Noise Exposure on Airplanes
Thankfully, there are several ways you can protect your ears when flying, including:
- Wearing earplugs. Earplugs can protect your ears from noise damage and help tune out other unpleasant sounds on a busy flight. They are inexpensive and easy to find either online or in most [city] drugstores. They might even make it easier for you to take a quick nap during the flight.
- Use noise-cancelling headphones. Noise-cancelling headphones are a great investment. They can help protect your hearing as well as let you listen to music or watch a movie to pass the time while travelling. Just make sure to not have the volume up too loud, as that can hurt your ears as well.
- Pick a seat away from the engine. While you may not always get to pick where you sit on a flight, if you have the option, choose a location that will help protect your ears. The front rows of the plane are best terms of noise exposure as they are the farthest away from the engine. If you don’t like the idea of sitting up front or seats aren’t available for that section, try choosing an aisle seat. Aisle seats are several decibels quieter than window seats.