Have you ever slept with the window in your bedroom open and awoke to the beautiful sound of birds singing just as the sun comes up? Turns out, there’s a name for all those birdsongs: the dawn chorus. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to belt out their favorite melody. The songs of these birds, when they’re all singing together, are a beautiful symphony.
But you might not notice the “dawn chorus” at all if you have neglected hearing loss. And that’s sad.
That’s especially true because it isn’t just birdsong you may be missing out on. Summer is full of amazing sounds. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it might be because of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and neglected) hearing loss. But you can start to enjoy all of those wonderful summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
Summer sounds
When you think about summer, you most likely begin by visualizing the sun in a blue sky. And, a really, really hot sun (whew). And then you start to imagine the summer soundtrack that comes with this vision. Some sounds you may think about:
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping the landscape bloom.
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling brook if you’re in a more inland area).
- The sound of birds chirping, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Humans aren’t the only species to employ love songs.)
- The sound of your grandkids laughing and playing.
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun goes down.
You get the idea. There are lots of sounds going on. These are the sounds that complete your summer, give it texture, and help create that overall vibe. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great happiness.
If these sounds of summer (or any sounds of summer) seem different to you these days, it’s likely because a noticeable amount of hearing loss has successfully crept up on you. Once you’ve noticed that problem, the next step is to take action.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
For most people, hearing aids are really about creating relationships. 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 that’s particularly important at those summer barbecues, for example.
Modern hearing aids have some incredible technology that will help you bask in those summer sounds. Here are some instances of some of that powerful technology:
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Boating on the lake and want to enjoy some tracks? Just sync the boat’s radio to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are sophisticated intelligent algorithms, to adjust to your audio landscape before you even recognized it needed to. In loud environments or when filtering out specific sounds, this can be especially handy.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged throughout the day after charging while you sleep at night. It’s a lot like charging your cellphone. And when you travel with your hearing aids, it becomes especially stress free.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can connect your hearing aids to your cellphone and begin enjoying all sorts of features. Many phones will now permit you to download apps that help you control 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: If you want to hear the sound of crashing waves, but not the roar of traffic behind you, you’ll want hearing aids that can help you sort through these sounds (just like your ears once did). Modern hearing aids have substantial noise reduction features, so you can hear what you really want to hear.
- Automatic programming: Modern hearing aids can automatically adapt to new surroundings or times of day, depending on how they’re programmed. This makes them simpler to use and more effective.
You can ask us about how your set of hearing aids are suitable for your favorite adventures (for instance, you can ask whether you can use them while you’re swimming or hiking in the country, that kind of thing). Hearing aids frequently don’t play well with water. But all in all, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around livelier experience.
Also, asking us basic questions about your hearing aid model will be a practical plan. For instance, you should ask, can hot weather impact my hearing aids? Also, does humidity have any effect on my hearing aid and how can I protect it? The answer to both questions will depend on the model of hearing aid you use.
Perhaps stay away from these sounds
As much as you love the sound of the dawn chorus, there are some other summer sounds that could actually be damaging to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to steer clear of them. These are sounds that are, well, noisy! And they’re harmful to everyone’s ears, not just those who have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a big part of summer, but they can be damaging to your ears. This means you might want to be particular about which shows you see (rather than attending a festival every weekend).
- Boat engines: Be careful of how close you get and how long you spend near these engines because they are very loud. Try not to keep the motor running when you’re fishing. Or, even better, put in some earplugs for the duration of your boat trip.
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Your hearing can definitely be damaged by fireworks. This includes both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to stay away from fireworks completely.
This is only a partial list. Summer fun for individuals who have hearing loss might not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise situations.
Having said that, you might not be capable of, or even want to, avoid all loud noises during the summer. So what’s the strategy? Wearing ear protection is the best solution. For instance, before you go to a concert, put in a pair of earplugs so you can decrease most of the damage. You just need to make certain you’re using reliable ear protection.
Enjoy the sounds of summer
If you have hearing loss, the sounds of summer may feel like they’re growing further and further away (even as the heat of summer gets more and more oppressive). And that means you could miss a lot of the season’s joy.
So you may need to pay us a visit if you want to make sure you get the most out of your summer. We can help determine the state of your hearing and, if necessary, help determine what kind of hearing aids will be the best choice for you.
So begin here if you’re ready to enjoy the dawn chorus. And you’ll also be able to enjoy all of the other awesome summer sounds.
Get your hearing tuned up this summer. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are right for you!