From the gentle rustle of leaves to the roar of a fighter jet—our ears can pick it all up. This wide range of sound frequencies also carries a risk: hearing damage can occur long before a sound actually feels painful. To properly protect your hearing, it helps to understand how sound is measured and when it becomes harmful.
How we measure noise levels
You’ve probably heard the term “decibel” — the unit used to measure sound intensity. But did you know our hearing is incredibly sensitive? The range between the softest sound we can detect and the loudest sound we can handle is massive. To put it in perspective: a fighter jet is about a trillion times louder than the faintest sound we can just barely hear. And a trillion has a lot of zeros!
Within that huge range, sound can quickly become harmful — without you even noticing. It’s not just how loud a sound is that matters, but also how long you’re exposed to it. Understanding how noise levels work can help you manage sound more wisely and protect your hearing over time.
Noise levels and decibels (dB)
| Decibel | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Almost inaudible | Falling leaves |
| 20 | Audible | Rustling leaves |
| 30 | Very quiet | Whisper |
| 40 | Living room, quiet classroom | |
| 50 | Limited noise | Running refrigerator, passing car |
| 55 | Coffee machine in use | |
| 60 | Audible | Talking, sound from a device |
| 70 | Annoying | Loud TV, vacuum cleaner, multiple people on the phone |
| 75 | Constant noise | Busy restaurant at lunchtime |
| 80 | Disturbing | Alarm clock, truck traffic, doorbell |
| 85 | Loud | Sound of a saw, blender |
| 90 | Very annoying | Nearby truck, shouting, clapping, cheering |
| 95 | Sound | Drill, violin |
| 100 | Very loud | Factory machine, compressor, fighter jet at 1,000 ft |
| 105 | Even louder | Nearby helicopter, bass drum |
| 110 | Extremely loud | Rock concert, chainsaw |
| 120 | Maximum human voice volume, police siren | |
| 130 | Thunder | |
| 140 | Pain threshold | Nearby emergency siren |
| 150 | Permanent hearing damage | Fireworks |
| 160 | Gunshot (pistol or rifle) | |
| 170 | Emergency missile | |
| 180 | Missile launch platform | |
| 203 | Saturn rocket |
How many decibels are harmful?
Hearing damage isn’t just caused by loud explosions. You can already be at risk of hearing loss starting at 80 decibels. And that’s lower than you might expect. It could be the sound of heavy traffic, a lawnmower, or a vacuum cleaner running at full power. Pretty everyday stuff, right? But the longer you’re exposed to that kind of noise, the higher the risk of damage — sometimes without realizing it. For reference: pain from sound usually starts around 120–130 decibels, which is about as loud as a fighter jet or standing right next to the speakers at a hard rock concert.
How long can you be exposed to loud noise safely?
The louder the sound, the faster hearing damage can occur. Makes sense, right? Still, many people don’t realize how quickly the risk increases with higher volume. That’s because sound intensity follows a logarithmic scale. Sounds technical, but here’s the bottom line: for every 3-decibel increase, your risk of hearing damage doubles. The table below shows just how quickly your safe listening time shrinks as the decibel level climbs.
| Decibel (dB) | Exposure time |
|---|---|
| 80 dB | Damage can occur after 8 hours |
| 83 dB | Damage can occur after 4 hours |
| 86 dB | Damage can occur after 2 hours |
| 89 dB | Damage can occur after 1 hour |
| 92 dB | Damage can occur after 30 minutes |
| 95 dB | Damage can occur after 15 minutes |
| 98 dB | Damage can occur after 7.5 minutes |
| 101 dB | Damage can occur after less than 4 minutes |
Prevent hearing damage: protect your ears early
At a club or music festival, where volume can easily reach 103 decibels, your ears can already be at risk after just a short while. As you’ve read, damage can happen fast. That’s why it’s not just interesting — but essential — to understand how noise levels work if you want to protect your hearing.
Going all out at a Formula 1 race or concert? Go for it! But without proper hearing protection, that unforgettable experience could lead to lasting damage. Tinnitus and permanent hearing loss are very real risks. And once your hearing is damaged, it doesn’t come back.
So: give your ears the care they deserve. Use hearing protection in loud environments so you can keep enjoying the sounds of life.
Find the right hearing protection for you in just a few quick steps — and help prevent permanent hearing damage.
