Why Sonic-Safety?

At LifeIsLoud, we know the euphoria, the sensory rush, the connection (and sometimes disconnection) that comes from loud music on the dance floor. It’s what makes nightlife so special, and we’re all about keeping this experience while also thinking about your hearing.

Your ears are pretty amazing. They facilitate reliving memories through your favourite tracks, enjoying the sounds of nature, having deep conversations with friends, and even embracing the stillness of silence. But to keep experiencing all that, they need some attention.

Think of hearing wellness like sunscreen or sunglasses— it’s just another way to look after yourself. But despite how much value hearing adds to our lives, it often gets overlooked.

Here’s the reality: clubbers are 3.5 times more likely than the average person to develop tinnitus.[1,2] Noise damage can also lead to hearing loss and sound sensitivity, and these issues are usually irreversible. They can even increase the risk of depression and dementia.[3] Hearing loss is actually the largest preventable risk factor for dementia.

It can be serious, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little awareness and the right tools, you can enjoy the music you love without sacrificing the sounds you love. That’s where we are trying to make a difference.

1 Schuster-Bruce J, Et Al (2025). Noise Health 2 Jarach CM,et al (2022). JAMA Neurol 3 livingston G, et al (2020). Lancet

When you're in a nightclub, the sound levels are often over 90 dB, sometimes even reaching 100 dB or more. It's important to understand how loud these levels really are and how they affect your hearing.

Decibels (dB) measure sound intensity. The scale is logarithmic, so every 10 dB increase means the sound intensity is 10 times greater. For example:

• 100 dB is 10 times more intense than 90 dB.

• 110 dB is 100 times more intense than 90 dB. (20dB increase = 10dB x 10dB)

Higher dB levels exert more pressure on your ears, increasing the risk of damage. But here's the key: Our ears don't perceive sound like this. So a 10 dB increase sounds about twice as loud, even though the intensity (and risk for damage) has increased 10 times. This is crucial to understand when being conscious of your hearing.

Inside your ear, tiny micro-hair cells turn sound into electrical signals for your brain to process. Think of these cells like blades of grass, and sound energy as people walking across a field.

If one person (a small amount of sound) walks over the grass, it might flatten slightly but will recover after some time. Similarly, after a loud event, you might notice temporary hearing loss or ringing that resolves within 48 hours.

But if lots of people (more sound energy) trample the grass repeatedly, some blades won’t recover, leading to permanent damage. Once these micro-hair cells are damaged, they can’t grow back—that’s irreversible.

Noise damage builds up like a dose—the louder the sound or the more often you're exposed, the higher the risk of permanent hearing issues. And it’s not just about how often; it’s the total sound energy you’re exposed to that matters.

Back to the grass example: the total damage is the same whether 100 people walk over the field in one night or spread out over a year. This is called the equal-energy principle.[1] Be aware that single loud sound (like a gunshot) over a certain loudness can also cause hearing damage.

Note: If you work in loud music environments like a DJ, sound engineer, bar staff, or security, follow occupational noise guidelines—they’re designed for workplace exposure.

For everyone else, the World Health Organisation (WHO) introduced recreational noise limits in 2018 to address shorter, less frequent exposure.[1] Subsequent international guidelines recommend music venues to keep average loudness to 100 dB.[2]

But here’s the issue: the 100 dBa level is only safe if you spend 2 hours or less in loud venues per month. Research shows that the average clubber blows past this, spending closer to 5–6 hours per visit — well beyond what’s considered safe.[3]

Turning music down below 100 dBa would ruin the experience for artists and fans alike- this isn’t the solution.

1 World Health organisation (2018). Online 2 World Health organisation (2022). Online 3 Schuster-Bruce J, Et Al (2025). Noise Health

Sound volume management in the form of earplugs is required for most clubbers. But finding the right earplugs can be tricky, and a bad experience often leads to poor usage. While 86% of clubbers have tried earplugs, only a third use them regularly, mainly because of concerns about music quality.[1]

The perfect earplugs strike a delicate balance: they should lower the volume enough but without over-dampening the music. They need to maintain sound quality, feel comfortable, and maybe even look good.[2]

Earplug use should be encouraged. However, foam earplugs (commonly found at bars) often distort music, cutting 50–75% of low-frequency sounds and up to 85–100% of higher frequencies. Even earplugs marketed for music lovers and those recommended by blogs can reduce sound too much for many users, muting the experience and making consistent use less likely.

For clubbers, it’s clear that a smarter, more practical approach is needed to balance sonic safety and the full music experience.

That’s where we can help.

1 Schuster-Bruce J, Et Al (2025). Noise Health 2 Hunter A (2017). Semin Hear