Apple Watch has many health tracking features including a Noise app that monitors the sound levels in your surroundings to protect your hearing. Taking care of your hearing health is crucial, and the Apple Watch is here to help you.
The Apple Hearing Study report revealed that about 25% of the participants experience daily average environmental sound exposure that exceeds the prescribed limit by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
With the Noise app, you can stay aware of the noise levels in your surroundings and take steps to protect your hearing.
What is the Noise app on Apple Watch?
The Noise app on the Apple Watch is a dedicated app that measures the noise levels in your environment and alerts you if the levels exceed a safe threshold.
Using the microphones on the watch, the app measures decibel levels and notifies you if the sound levels are loud enough to damage your hearing.
Things you must 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 with long-term exposure.
- Long-term exposure to sound levels above 80 decibels can lead to permanent hearing loss.
- Noise level measurements using the Apple Watch 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 of up to 30 minutes per day at this level can lead to temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit for this level is 4 hours.
- 95 decibels: Exposure of just 10 minutes per 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 brief exposure to this level of sound, just a few minutes per 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 the Apple Watch, so you don't need to download it manually. All you need 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 this, you can set up the Noise feature 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's how:
- 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 choose a decibel level, Done!
By following these easy steps, you can 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.