Carry earplugs to protect your hearing in loud environments like gyms, restaurants, or concerts, as hearing damage is permanent and significantly impacts future quality of life and social connection.
Always have earplugs readily available, not just for hearing protection, but also as an “anxiety pacifier” to immediately reduce stress and the fight-or-flight response caused by overwhelming noise.
Perform a “quiet game” audit by spraying door hinges with WD-40 and turning appliances off and on one by one to identify and fix or replace noisy items, improving your home’s sonic environment.
Introduce soft materials like curtains, throw blankets, pillows, rugs, and fabric-based furniture into your home to absorb sound, making the space feel quieter, more intimate, and less irritating.
Put your phone in silent mode to prevent dings and buzzes from disrupting your enjoyment of positive experiences (e.g., massage, games) and reducing your cognitive processing speed.
Recognize sleep as essential for mental health and use sonic rituals like sleep meditations or white noise apps (e.g., nature sounds like rain) to mask distracting sounds and aid in falling asleep faster.
Intentionally select music based on its physiological effects and personal memories; for example, use jazz or bluegrass for calming during cooking, high-tempo songs for reduced exertion during exercise, or nostalgic pop for mood elevation.
Participate in group musical activities like orchestras or choirs to foster social cohesion, synchronize brain activity, and increase feelings of empathy and connection with others.
If you experience Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), seek out ASMR videos on platforms like YouTube featuring delicate sounds (whispering, crackling objects) to intentionally trigger tingling sensations, potentially increasing presence and calmness.
Become more aware of your sonic environment, noticing how background sounds (e.g., a persistent beep) can intricately tie to and negatively affect your mood, attention, and cognitive processing, prompting you to address them.
If sensitive to certain sounds (misophonia), employ techniques such as finding distracting activities, temporarily removing yourself from the situation, or creating body-shocking sensations to shift focus and manage extreme panic reactions.
Actively engage in “sonic tourism” by consciously listening to sounds in various environments, from seeking out unique acoustic spaces like whispering galleries to simply stepping outside and mindfully appreciating nature sounds.
Listen to natural sounds like wind, storms, surf, or animal calls to evoke a sense of awe, which can improve well-being, foster social connection, and provide a perspective that the world is bigger than oneself.
Combat the “anechoic chamber” effect of being too focused on internal thoughts (fears, second-guessing) by engaging with external sounds from nature, real conversations, or concerts to feel awe-inspired and connected to greater humanity.