Did you know that working in noisy environments can not only affect your hearing but your wellbeing too? This week is Hearing Awareness Week (20-26 August 2017) so we gave hearing health researcher Associate Professor Catherine McMahon a (not too loud) shout.

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What does noise do to our hearing?

Noise is the number one cause of hearing loss, yet it is preventable. According to a 2010 Access Economics Report, noise accounts for approximately 37 per cent of hearing loss cases in Australia. The World Health Organisation has suggested that 1.1 billion people globally are at risk of noise induced hearing loss resulting from recreational listening.

What should people be aware of in the workplace in regards to excessive noise?

While excessive noise can cause hearing loss, moderate levels which may not be damaging to hearing can increase stress, decrease motivation and therefore reduce workplace productivity. Open plan offices, while an innovative design, need to be acoustically well considered to maximise productivity. It’s important to remember that speech is time varying, has unpredictable changes in level and in informational content. Therefore, speech from an adjacent cubicle can be considered annoying if it is distracting others from working, which is not simply a matter of the level of an individual’s voice. Noise is a subjective parameter, therefore it is an individual’s reaction to sound which should be evaluated to determine its effects on distractibility, stress and productivity.

What happens to people physiologically when they’re exposed to excessively loud noises in the workplace?

Stress increases cortisol levels which can affect our weight, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, depression and lead to lower life expectancy. Noise can also reduce our ability to sleep, and due to the need for increased attention to what we are doing – listening to someone speak, reading or writing – we are generally more fatigued by the end of the day. Of course, this can also cause increased effort when thinking, as well as frustration and anxiety.

What practical steps can people take to reduce physical and emotional stress caused by loud noise?

Noise and stress are cumulative – everyone needs a break from noise. So taking a lunch break or going for a walk during the day is a great strategy and is good for your physical and mental health. Noise-cancelling headphones may help to some extent, however, these are designed to reduce the levels of noise, which has a different spectral quality than speech.

To learn more about hearing loss and the hearing clinics on campus, or to test your hearing online, please visit this page.

For further information on Hearing Awareness Week and advice on how to better protect your hearing, please visit this page.  There is also an array of hearing clinics on campus, an online hearing test and noise risk calculator available, as well as free hearing checks offered during Hearing Awareness Week at convenient community locations.