Have you ever awoke after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a pleasant song through your open window? So happens, there’s a name for all those birdsongs: the dawn chorus. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to sing out their favorite melody. The songs of these birds, when they’re all sounding together, are a beautiful symphony.
But you might not notice the “dawn chorus” at all if you have untreated hearing loss. And that’s sad.
There are lots of incredible sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you might be missing. And if you find yourself missing out on the sounds of summer, it may be due to some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and dismissed) hearing loss. The good news in these situations is that a device like a hearing aid could help you appreciate and enjoy your summer days more fully.
Summer sounds
You most likely think of a very hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think of summer. And then you start to imagine the summer soundtrack that goes along with this vision. You may be thinking about:
- Something as basic as your grandkids laughing, maybe as they run about the yard or as you catch a baseball game together.
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
- The babbling of a brook or the crashing of waves.
- The symphony of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the evening.
- The sound of birds chirping, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs aren’t just enjoyed by humans.)
You get the point. There are a bunch of sounds going on. These are the sounds that fill in your summer, give it texture, and help create that overall vibe. Plus, there is so much happiness in these everyday summertime sounds themselves.
It’s possible that hearing loss might have crept up on you, particularly if these or any other summer sounds seem to be different to you these days. If you have noticed your hearing loss then you should get something done about it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
Building connections is what hearing aids are really about for most. They’re about communication. They make it easier to talk to others, to hear what’s happening around you, and to appreciate the sounds that you hear. And at those summer cook-outs, for example, that’s even more relevant.
The latest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they come with some rather great built in tech, as well. Here are some instances of some of that powerful technology:
- Smartphone compatibility: You can begin to enjoy all types of features by connecting your hearing aid to your cellphone. Many phones will now enable you to download apps that help you manage the settings on your hearing aids, so you can adjust for birdsong or grandchildren’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that time.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get hearing aids that can differentiate particular sounds (your ears used to do this) so you can appreciate those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified as well. Modern hearing aids have significant noise reduction features, so you can hear what you really want to hear.
- Machine learning: Fancy algorithms (called machine learning) can help your hearing aids adjust to what you need, even before you know you need it. In noisy settings or when eliminating specific sounds, this can be especially handy.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to listen to some music? Well, your hearing aids can be connected to the boat’s stereo via Bluetooth.
- Automatic programming: You can dial in your modern hearing aids to automatically adjust settings depending on the time of day or environment you find yourself in. This feature makes them more effective and easier to use.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged all day after charging while you sleep at night. It’s a lot like charging your cellphone. This also makes traveling with hearing aids much easier.
You can ask us about how your set of hearing aids are suitable for your favorite adventures (you can ask us if you can bring your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for instance). Hearing aids and water-sports don’t always play nice together. But you will have a richer overall summer experience with your hearing aids.
You’ll also want to ask us some basic questions about your hearing aid models. For instance, you should ask, can hot weather impact my hearing aids? Also, does humidity have any impact on my hearing aid and how can I protect it? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will vary.
Maybe avoid these sounds
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your hearing and you should be certain to avoid them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And everyone’s ears are at risk even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Going to fireworks shows can undoubtedly damage your ears. Furthermore, being close to home-launched fireworks can also be harmful to your ears (and limbs). It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks completely.
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so use some caution about distance and duration. Try not to leave the motor idling when you’re fishing. Or, an even better plan would be to put in some earplugs.
- Live music: It’s great fun to attend a live music concert but the loud volume can be harmful to your hearing. So you may want to exercise some caution and be picky about which concerts you attend and use earplugs.
This is only a partial list. Summer activities for people who have hearing loss might not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise conditions.
That said, you may not be able to, or even want to, avoid all loud noises over the summer. So what’s the strategy? Well, you can wear ear protection. For instance, before you go to a concert, put in a pair of earplugs so you can minimize most of the damage. You just need to make certain you’re using reliable ear protection.
Enjoy the sounds of summer
As the heat of summer gets more oppressive, if you have hearing loss, the summer sounds may seem like they’re getting further away. Which means, a lot of the joy of the season could pass you by.
Getting the most out of your summer then, might require coming to see us. We can help figure out the state of your hearing and, if needed, help determine what kind of hearing aid will be the best choice for you.
So start here if you’re ready to appreciate the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are only the beginning of those amazing summer sounds.
Get the most from your ears this summer and beyond. Call us for a hearing assessment and discover if hearing aids are the right choice for you.