Prolonged exposure to loud noise is harmful to your hearing. Noise permanently damages the delicate hair cells in the inner ear leading to irreversible hearing loss. Stress, poor concentration, productivity loss in the workplace, and fatigue from lack of sleep are also common problems associated with high noise levels. Of course, sounds are a part of everyday life. However, when this sound becomes excessive noise, it becomes a severe health concern. Exposing your ears to prolonged and excessive noise can also cause three major health problems, including:
- Hearing loss. Loud noise is harmful to the inner ear. Even a one-time exposure to thunderous noise or extended periods of listening to loud noise can cause hearing loss. The hearing loss will progress as long as the exposure continues.
- Stress. Sound causes the release of cortisol which is the stress hormone. Migraines, back pain, breathing problems, and cardiovascular issues can all result from increased levels of this hormone.
- Cardiovascular problems. Coronary artery disease and arterial hypertension are possible consequences of loud noise. Atrial fibrillation, which is a term for a heart out of rhythm, is also a possible complication.
A Noisy Problem
Because public places are loud, our hearing is undergoing subtle and irreparable damage. Restaurants are particularly unbearable at times. Surveys by Zagat and Consumer Reports found that excessive noise is diners’ chief complaint. This common complaint ranks ahead of food quality, service, and extreme crowds. What can you do about it? For starters, there is an app that can help you identify noise levels in public places. Now, you can avoid those noisy places that might not be good for your health.
SoundPrint
SoundPrint uses crowdsourcing to make it easy to eat out and enjoy a conversation even with a hearing loss. The free app makes it possible for users to search for restaurants and bars that have comfortable noise levels. Although the app originated for the person with hearing loss in mind, the app is useful for anyone wanting to find a restaurant, bar, or coffee shop based on noise levels.
How The App Works
Download the app to your phone. Now you can search for venues near your location based on noise levels. You can filter by distance or decibels and sort by the noise level. As a user, you can share your experiences as well. By pressing the soundcheck button in the app, you can perform a decibel reading. This reading then becomes a portion of the data for the restaurant and lets other users know if the place will meet their particular needs. If you desire, you can also include comments along with the sound data.
Get Your App Today
The SoundPrint app is available for iPhone and Android. A user can search using parameters such as sound levels, distance, and venue types. There are multiple categories for soundchecks, such as gyms, offices, retail stores, arenas, and subways. Users in other countries, including Europe, Australia, Brazil, India, and S. Africa can also participate.
