Do you find yourself saying “what” a lot? No matter the reason, there may be times when you may need a bit of a boost in regards to hearing. Whether that may be a way to improve your own listening skills or just a way to hear a little better, having a few hearing hacks up your sleeve doesn’t hurt. While hearing loss, depending on the severity, can range from a minor nuisance to something that severely hinders your ability to function, there are hearing hacks available that can make your life a whole lot easier.

We live in a noisy world, so if you want to be on the path to better hearing and better health, check out these hearing hacks to help you out along your way.

• Love listening to music? If so, make sure you practice the 60/60 rule. To do so, make sure your volume level is no higher than 60 percent of the maximum volume, and that you listen to your music for no longer than 60 minutes to help lessen your chances of hearing loss.

• Avoid hearing loss by protecting your ears with earplugs. If you find yourself in an environment that exposes you to sounds higher than 85 decibels, you should invest in a pair of earplugs. Your local hearing care provider can help you with a pair of custom earplugs that can be customized to suit your needs.

• Have problems sleeping because you can’t turn off your brain? Turn on some white noise and let your ears override your brain. White noise, according to research, can switch off your busy brain and help you calm down enough to fall asleep.

• When you find yourself in a noisy environment, use the law of physics and practice the inverse square law to help save your hearing. The inverse square law states that by doubling your distance from the source of a sound, you can lower the intensity of the sound by 75 percent.

• Do you suspect you may have some degree of hearing loss, but aren’t sure? Online some websites and applications offer ways to check your hearing online. While this can never replace a hearing care professional, it can help you test your hearing in a comfortable environment. However, if the test reveals hearing loss, make sure to schedule an appointment with your local hearing care provider as soon as possible.