Live indoor sporting events can be exhilarating experiences full of nostalgic sounds, and of course – the roar of the crowd. Enjoying these activities with friends and families during the colder months brings some action and excitement into the dreary winter weather, but if you’re not careful, indoor sporting events could cause permanent damage to your hearing.

According to hearing health experts, 85 dBs is the threshold for sound safety. More than eight hours of sustained noise at this level or as little as 15 minutes of exposure to decibels (dB) of 100 and higher can cause damage to the tiny hair cells of the inner ear, which are responsible for transmitting sound waves into electrical impulses the brain can interpret. Hair cell damage is permanent, and the leading cause of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), which the CDC reports affects at least 26 million people age 20-69.

There’s no question that basketball and volleyball courts, hockey arenas, bowling alleys and other venues can reach beyond safe decibels when they’re filled to capacity, with acoustics that often purposely amplify sound even further. But exactly how loud do they get? The current Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at a sporting event was a painful 142.2 dBs recorded at the Kansas City Chief’s Arrowhead Stadium in September 2014. To put that in context, the Oracle Arena, considered the loudest indoor basketball arenas in the U.S., often reaches decibels of 120. Hockey games often reach as high as 124 dBs. In fact, one of the only indoor venues that keeps noise within safe levels are bowing alleys, which average 82 dBs (especially in newer facilities made from sound-absorbent materials).

In spite of these dangerous noise levels, it’s doubtful sports fans will stop attending indoor sporting events, and, if the proper precautious are followed, there’s no reason to. One of the first lines of defense is to sit far away from noise sources, like speakers. It’s also a good idea to stay near an exit so that if the noise level becomes painfully loud, you can slip out into a hallway until it dies down. Secondly, bring earplugs. They’re cheap, lightweight and don’t draw attention, but they can reduce sound levels by as much as 35 dBs. If you can’t do earplugs, another option is noise-canceling earphones. Lastly, limiting the time you spend at a live indoor gaming event will decrease your chances of suffering from permanent hearing damage. For that matter, why not opt for the cheaper and more hearing-friendly venue of your living room television, which offers volume control?

The good news is that noise-induced hearing loss is entirely preventable. Simply being away of noise levels, reducing the volume on personal listening devices and using hearing protection when engaging in loud activities for longer periods of time can help you retain your enjoyment of these and other nostalgic sounds for years to come.