- Categories:
- Health
- Tags:
- AwarenessLifestyle
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every May 31
- Holiday emoji:
- 👂
National Save Your Hearing Day arrives every May 31, marking the end of Better Speech and Hearing Month. This crucial observance highlights the importance of protecting our auditory health from preventable damage and advocating for those with hearing loss. Take action by getting a hearing check, reducing noise exposure, and supporting hearing health initiatives.
Want to sponsor National Save Your Hearing Day? Learn how
Expected National Save Your Hearing Day Deals
As a ‘Cause’ holiday, National Save Your Hearing Day focuses less on commercial deals and more on awareness and fundraising. Organizations like the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) often launch awareness campaigns, offering free educational resources and online screenings. Hearing aid manufacturers such as Starkey and Phonak may partner with audiologists for discounted hearing tests or offer special financing on devices. Look for local clinics providing free earplug giveaways or educational seminars on noise-induced hearing loss. Tech companies like Apple and Bose, known for their audio products, might promote features designed for safe listening levels or donate a portion of sales to hearing health charities. We will update this page with confirmed live initiatives as May 31 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Save Your Hearing Day
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #SaveYourHearing. Share infographics on safe listening levels or personal stories about hearing health journeys.
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Mention @NatlToday and use #SaveYourHearing. Join discussions on noise pollution, advocate for hearing-friendly policies, and share expert tips.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #SaveYourHearing. Create a community event for a local hearing screening or share educational videos.
National Save Your Hearing Day Hero
Alexander Graham Bell
History of National Save Your Hearing Day
Records of hearing loss have been around since ancient times. An Egyptian mummy, PUM II, showed evidence of having a perforated eardrum, which signals hearing loss. The ancient Greeks do not have a great history for people afflicted with hearing loss; records indicate such people were shunned by the general population. Surprisingly, the Greek philosopher Aristotle reportedly called them ‘barbarians’ as they (obviously) could not speak properly. The earliest record of hearing loss, however, is from ancient Egypt, in which an ancient piece of papyrus even offers a remedy for hearing loss. These guys, unlike the ancient Greeks, were taught to treat disabled individuals with respect, including the deaf. Other civilizations who treated the deaf with respect were the Romans. A congenitally deaf Roman child in Britain was given a special burial in a coffin made of stone.
Sign language began to be used early on, as evidenced by the writings of the Athenian philosopher Plato. The earliest mention of a hearing device, on the other hand, comes from the writings of an Italian scholar who described an instrument that could amplify sounds.
In later years, whatever the world (and America) learned about hearing protection was spurred on by military needs. Both World Wars saw the development of multiple new inventions in hearing aid, from earplugs and ear flaps (to protect hearing), to earmuffs. As with most inventions, these earmuffs also underwent a series of transformations to become the fluffy ear protectors they are today. The ear cushions were initially very stiff and needed a strong headband to hold them, causing them to be described as having a ‘vice-like’ grip.
National Save Your Hearing Day timeline
A 45,000–35,000-year-old Neanderthal skeleton shows signs of extra growth in his ears, indicating hearing loss.
At an archaeological site in Iraq, called the Shanidar Cave, many 10,000-year-old skeletons show signs of having a bony growth in their ears, which can cause hearing problems.
The Ebers Papyrus (a medical papyrus of herbal knowledge) gives a remedy for ‘Ear-That-Hears-Badly’ — this cure is an injection of olive oil, red lead, ant eggs, bat wings, and goat urine into the ears.
Monks in Burgundy use hand signals, which would come to be called Cluniac sign language, to communicate without speaking and keep to their strict vow of silence.
A Spanish Benedictine monk, Pedro Ponce de León, starts the first school for the deaf in San Salvador Monastery in Oña, Spain — they use a manual alphabet (fingerspelling) to communicate.
Italian scholar Giambattista della Porta writes about a horn-like instrument used to increase sound, which is modeled after the ears of animals.
One of Italian Galileo Galilei’s students, Paolo Aproino, creates the first ear trumpet.
The earplug is patented.
Invented to protect the ears of sailors and soldiers, canal caps could be attached to an adjustable headband.
As jet engines become louder and louder, newer and better versions of earmuffs are developed until we see non-linear electric systems being incorporated into them.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Save Your Hearing Day
Local businesses can observe National Save Your Hearing Day by promoting hearing health within their communities. Music venues and construction companies can offer free earplugs to patrons and employees, alongside educational materials on noise exposure limits. Retailers selling headphones or audio equipment could highlight products with safe listening features or partner with local audiologists for in-store consultations. Healthcare providers, especially those in occupational health, can host free hearing screenings or workshops on preventing noise-induced hearing loss.
National Save Your Hearing Day FAQs
When is National Save Your Hearing Day?
In 2027, National Save Your Hearing Day is observed on Monday, May 31. This annual observance is a crucial reminder to prioritize ear care and prevent hearing damage.
How many people experience hearing loss?
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2050, over 700 million people could have disabling hearing loss. In the U.S., about one in eight people aged 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears.
What are common causes of hearing loss?
While some hearing loss is age-related, significant factors also include chronic ear infections, ototoxic drugs, and conditions like Meniere’s disease. Prolonged exposure to sounds above 85 decibels is a major preventable cause.
Is hearing loss preventable?
Preventing hearing loss often involves lifestyle choices such as avoiding excessively loud music, wearing earplugs in noisy settings like concerts or workplaces, and getting regular hearing check-ups. Early detection and intervention are also key.
How To Celebrate National Save Your Hearing Day
Learn how to protect your hearing
This day is best celebrated in a peaceful and quiet(er) environment. Some ways to protect your hearing include staying away from loud noises and giving your ears a break now and then. You can also wear hearing protection like earmuffs whenever possible to ensure you are not constantly exposed to loud noises.
Test your hearing
Some signs that your ears might need a check-up include hearing a ringing sound in your ears after noisy events, if noise physically hurts your ears, if you cannot hear what people nearby are saying, or if you need to raise your voice while talking to others. Whether you show signs of hearing loss or not, it is a good idea to get your hearing checked out by a physician. Some clinics and physicians even run free ear screenings or other campaigns to promote this day so keep an eye out for this.
Go on a hearing detox
We don't mean you should wear noise-canceling headphones the whole day. Simply rest your ears for about an hour a day, avoiding any loud noises. By loud noises, we mean listening to music on your headphones! Increase this to longer than an hour if you think you can manage to go without music for a while.
5 Interesting Facts About Hearing Protection
The 60:60 rule
This rule says people should listen to music at 60% of volume capacity for less than 60 minutes a day.
There’s a limit to noise exposure
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends no more than eight hours per day of exposure to noise at 90 dBA (in other words, using headphones at a normal volume).
Our ears need to recover too
If you have to use headphones, over-the-ear ones are better — avoid earbuds as they sit directly next to the eardrum.
Over-the-ear headphones are better
If you have to use headphones, over-the-ear ones are better — avoid earbuds as they sit directly next to the eardrum.
Keep your ears dry
Wet ears can cause infections that are dangerous to your hearing, so always keeping them dry is important.
Why We Love National Save Your Hearing Day
It normalizes hearing problems
Hearing loss can be prevented or, at the very least, treated. Learning more about our hearing teaches us how easy it is to abuse our ears and how quickly we can ruin our hearing capacity. It also makes us more sympathetic towards those with hearing loss.
It protects ear health
Simple and small tweaks to our lifestyle can improve our hearing health. Knowing this, and the various tips this day provides to better our hearing health is why we wholeheartedly support it.
It raises awareness about care
This day, and the subsequent events around it, bring attention to an often neglected (and abused) part of our well-being — our hearing. We understand more and can make simple tweaks to our lifestyle to adopt better hearing habits. We cannot be thankful enough to be reminded that our hearing needs some TLC, what about you?
Social Media Tips for National Save Your Hearing Day
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