Week 1 of 6 · Off the brakes
Re-enter your sound environment
The single most important step in recovering from hyperacusis is stopping the avoidance and the over-protection. Earplugs in everyday environments, silent rooms, and a quiet life all make the brain’s gain control turn up — which makes sounds feel even louder. This week is about gently removing those brakes.
Ladder target
Level 5
Stop wearing ear protection indoors
DailyEarplugs and noise-cancelling headphones for travel and concerts are fine. Wearing them at home, while cooking, while talking to family — that is the practice we have to stop. Each day of indoor protection sets the auditory gain a little higher.
Do today: Audit your day. Where are you using protection that is not needed?
Add quiet, varied sound
DailyA small amount of low-level, varied sound in every room you use is the opposite of avoidance and the foundation of recovery. The LadderPlayer inside HushOS plays pink noise at calibrated levels — start it at week-1 setting in the background while you read, cook or work.
Do today: 30 minutes of low pink noise in your main room.
No sudden silence
DailyAfter a noisy day or a stressful event, the temptation is to retreat to a silent bedroom. Silence after stimulation is the worst pairing for hyperacusis. Keep some low sound on for at least the first hour back home.
Do today: Do not turn off the background sound abruptly. Fade it down.
Nothing in this week should hurt. If pink noise at the week-1 level causes pain or makes the ringing dramatically worse for more than an hour, lower it. Discomfort is fine; pain is not.