Yes. 85 dBA is louder than a busy street, which is typically around 80 dBA. NIOSH recommends that workers are not exposed to more than an average of 85 dBA over an 8-hour day. A short burst is not the same as a whole day, but it is a useful line to keep in mind.

How long can you listen to 100 decibels?

Under the NIOSH recommendation, about 15 minutes a day. That comes from starting at 85 dBA for 8 hours and halving the time for every 3 dB increase. OSHA's legal limit for US workplaces is more lenient and allows 2 hours at 100 dBA.

What decibel level is good for sleeping?

The WHO suggests bedroom levels below 30 dBA during the night for good sleep, and an outdoor night average of 40 dB outside bedrooms. Many homes in cities are louder than that, which is one reason earplugs and white noise are popular.

What is the difference between NIOSH and OSHA limits?

NIOSH is a US research agency that makes recommendations: 85 dBA for 8 hours with a 3 dB exchange rate. OSHA sets the legal limit for most US workplaces: 90 dBA for 8 hours with a 5 dB exchange rate, and it requires a hearing conservation program from 85 dBA. NIOSH is the more protective of the two.

Are the decibel levels in charts exact?

No. They are typical values. The real level depends on the exact machine, how far away you are and the room you are in. A lawn mower at your feet is much louder than one across the street. Measure your own situation if you need a number.

How loud is too loud? A decibel chart with everyday sounds

When we were planning Loudmark, we read a lot of reviews of other decibel apps. A surprising number of people said the same thing: the app gave them a number, but they had no idea whether it was a lot. Is 72 bad? Is 85 an emergency? A number without context does not help anyone make a decision. So before we added anything else, we made sure every reading came with a plain comparison. This guide is the longer version of that idea.

How decibels work, briefly

Decibels (dB) measure sound level on a log scale. That makes the numbers behave in ways that are easy to misread:

Every 10 dB increase sounds roughly twice as loud to most people.
Every 3 dB increase is double the sound energy. That is why noise guidance halves the safe time for every 3 dB.
Distance matters a lot. Move twice as far from a single source in open space and the level drops by about 6 dB.

Most guidance uses dBA, which is weighted to match how our ears hear everyday sound. If you want the details, see dBA vs dBC vs dBZ.

Decibel chart of everyday sounds

These are typical levels for people nearby. Real levels vary with the source, the distance and the room, so treat them as a rough guide.

Sound	Typical level
Whisper	about 30 dBA
Quiet library	about 40 dBA
Quiet office	about 50 dBA
Normal conversation	about 60 dBA
Vacuum cleaner	about 70 dBA
Busy street	about 80 dBA
Lawn mower	about 90 dBA
Motorbike	about 100 dBA
Rock concert	about 110 dBA, often more near the speakers

Figures are rounded and drawn from widely published charts, including those from NIOSH. Different sources list slightly different values for the same thing, because a quiet electric mower and an old gas mower are very different machines.

The 85 dBA guideline

The number you will see most often is 85 dBA. It comes from workplace guidance in the United States.

NIOSH, the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, recommends an exposure limit of 85 dBA averaged over an 8-hour day. It uses a 3 dB exchange rate. That means every 3 dB increase halves the recommended time:

Average level	NIOSH recommended time per day
85 dBA	8 hours
88 dBA	4 hours
91 dBA	2 hours
94 dBA	1 hour
97 dBA	30 minutes
100 dBA	about 15 minutes

OSHA, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, sets the legal limit for most US workplaces. Its permissible exposure limit is 90 dBA over 8 hours with a 5 dB exchange rate, so 95 dBA allows 4 hours and 100 dBA allows 2 hours. OSHA also requires employers to run a hearing conservation program when workers average 85 dBA or more.

The two differ because they do different jobs. NIOSH makes research-based recommendations. OSHA sets enforceable rules. NIOSH’s figures are the more protective of the two, and they are a sensible yardstick for your own ears outside work too, such as at concerts, sports events or with power tools.

Apple’s Noise app on Apple Watch uses a similar idea and warns that long-term exposure above 80 dB can affect hearing.

Night noise and sleep

Sleep is where many people first start measuring. The World Health Organization has two figures that come up often:

About 40 dB outside bedrooms at night. The WHO’s Night Noise Guidelines for Europe set a target of 40 dB Lnight, an average of night-time noise measured outside. They also give 55 dB as an interim target for places that cannot reach 40 yet.
About 30 dBA inside bedrooms. The WHO’s earlier Guidelines for Community Noise suggest keeping bedrooms below 30 dBA during the night for good sleep.

These are long-term averages and health guidance, not legal limits. Local rules on noise at night vary by country and city. If noise from next door is keeping you awake, our guide on how to record noise from neighbors as evidence covers what to write down and who to contact.

Time matters as much as level

A single loud bang and a whole evening at the same level are not the same. Guidance is built on averages over time, which is why good meters show Leq, the equivalent continuous level. Leq is one number that has the same total sound energy as the up-and-down noise you actually heard.

In practice:

For a quick check, measure for at least 30 seconds and look at the Leq.
For a concert or a shift, measure for longer, or note the level several times and how long you were there.
Look at the max too. It tells you how loud the peaks got, even if the average was lower.

Practical ways to lower your exposure

You do not need to measure everything. A few habits help:

Move away from the source. Doubling your distance can cut the level by several decibels.
Take breaks from loud places. Even a few minutes somewhere quieter helps.
Wear earplugs at concerts, clubs and sports events, and ear defenders for power tools and mowing.
Turn headphones down. On iPhone, the Hearing tile in Control Center shows how loud your headphone audio is, and Reduce Loud Sounds in Settings can cap it.
Watch for warning signs. Ringing in the ears or muffled hearing after loud events is a sign the sound was too much.

If you notice ringing that does not go away, sudden changes in hearing, or trouble following conversations, please see a doctor or an audiologist. This guide shares public guidance and is not medical advice.

How to check your own levels

A chart gives you typical values. Your kitchen, office or local venue may be quite different. A decibel meter on your phone can give you a useful estimate, as long as you use dBA, keep the mic uncovered and measure for a while. Our guide on how to measure decibels on iPhone walks through it step by step, including the limits of a phone mic, which typically tops out around 95 to 100 dB.

Where Loudmark helps

Loudmark is our decibel meter for iPhone. It needs iOS 26. It was built to make numbers like the ones above easy to use.

A live dBA meter with dBC and dBZ available, fast and slow response, and min, Leq and max.
A plain comparison line under the reading, such as “As loud as a vacuum cleaner”.
One free 85 dB alert, so you know when a place reaches the NIOSH 8-hour level.
Calibration of plus or minus 20 dB in 0.5 dB steps against a real sound level meter.

The meter, comparisons, graph, stats, calibration, one alert and widgets are free. Loudmark Pro adds a custom alert level, overnight recording, an evidence camera, PDF noise reports, saved reference sounds and a Live Activity, for $24.99 a year with a 3-day free trial, $3.99 a week, or $34.99 once.

Loudmark is not a certified Class 1 or Class 2 sound level meter. It is a good everyday guide, not a replacement for a professional noise assessment or a hearing test.