Every year on March 3, the world commemorates World Hearing Day to raise awareness of deafness and hearing loss prevention, while promoting ear and hearing care around the world.
Apple Watch has many health monitoring features, including the Noise app, which monitors sound levels around you to protect your hearing. Taking care of your hearing health is key, and Apple Watch is here to help.
The Apple Hearing Study report revealed that about 25% of participants experience a daily average exposure to ambient sound that exceeds the limit prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
With the Noise app, you can be aware of the noise level in your surroundings and take steps to protect your hearing.
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What is the Noise app on Apple Watch?
The Noise app on Apple Watch is a dedicated app that measures the noise levels in your environment and notifies you if the levels exceed a safe limit.
Using the watch’s microphones, the app measures decibel levels and alerts you if sound levels are loud enough to damage your hearing.
Things you need to know:
- The Loudness of sounds is measured using a unit called A-weighted decibels.
- Exposure to sound levels up to 80 decibels is considered safe for prolonged exposure.
- Prolonged exposure to sound levels above 80 decibels can lead to permanent hearing loss.
- Apple Watch noise level measurements can be affected by wind and water.
What are the prescribed limits for sound decibel exposure?
The limits for safe sound exposure are:
- 80 decibels: Up to 5 hours and 30 minutes a day at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit at this level is 40 hours.
- 85 decibels: Up to 1 hour and 45 minutes a day at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit at this level is around 12 hours and 30 minutes.
- 90 decibels: Exposure to this level for up to 30 minutes a day can lead to temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit for this level is 4 hours.
- 95 decibels: Exposure to just 10 minutes a day at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit for this level is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- 100 decibels: Even short exposure to this level of sound, just a few minutes a day, can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit for this level is approximately 20 minutes.
How to use the Noise app on Apple Watch?
The Noise app comes pre-installed on Apple Watch, so you don’t need to download it manually. All you have to do is set up your Apple Watch with your iPhone and the app will be available on the app screen. Once you’ve done that, you can set up Noise on your iPhone and start using it.
If you want to set up and use the Noise app on your Apple Watch, you can easily do so with a few simple steps. Here is the procedure:
- First, open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Next, tap on the “My Watch” tab and then select “Noise”.
- From there tap on “Noise Threshold” and select the decibel level, Done!
Follow these simple steps to start using the Noise app on your Apple Watch to monitor and protect your hearing health. Take control of your health and start using this innovative feature today.
