Have you ever slept with the window in your bedroom open and woken up to the beautiful sound of birds singing as the sun is coming up? Most individuals probably aren’t even aware that the name for those bird-songs is the “dawn chorus”. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to sing out their best melody. The songs of these birds, when they’re all sounding together, are a beautiful symphony.
But you might not hear the “dawn chorus” at all if you have neglected hearing loss. Which is a shame.
There are a lot of incredible sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you might be missing. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it could be due to some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and neglected) hearing loss. But you can begin to enjoy all of those wonderful summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
Summer sounds
You most likely think of a very hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think about summer. But if you stay in your imagination a bit longer, you’ll begin incorporating details that make this blue sky feel more like summer, the sounds that fill in the day. You might 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 the landscape bloom.
- The sound of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the evening.
- The sound of birds chirping, particularly in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Humans aren’t the only species to use love songs.)
- The babbling of a stream or the crashing of waves.
These are just a few examples. There are lots of sounds going on. These are the sounds that fill in your summer, give it texture, and help deliver that overall vibe. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great joy.
It’s feasible that hearing loss may have crept up on you, especially if these or any other summer sounds seem to be foreign to you these days. If you have detected your hearing loss then you need to get some help with it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
For most people, hearing aids are really about creating relationships. They’re about communication. You’ll be more aware of what’s taking place around you, better able to communicate with those around you, and enjoy the sounds in your world. And that’s especially significant at those summer barbecues, for example.
Modern hearing aids have some incredible technology that will help you savor those summer sounds. Here are some instances of some of that powerful technology:
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to listen to some tracks? Just sync the boat’s radio to your hearing aids using Bluetooth.
- Noise reduction: If you want to hear the crashing of the waves, but not the thunder of traffic behind you, you’ll want hearing aids that can help you sort out these sounds (just like your ears once did). Modern hearing aids have significant noise reduction features, so you can hear what you actually want to hear.
- Automatic programming: You can program your modern hearing aids to automatically switch settings depending on the time of day or setting you find yourself in. This makes them easier to use and more reliable.
- 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. This is especially handy when filtering sounds or in a loud environment.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will remain charged throughout the day after charging while you sleep at night. It’s much like charging your phone. And when you travel with your hearing aids, it becomes especially hassle free.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can begin to enjoy all types of features by syncing your hearing aid to your cellphone. Many phones will now permit 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.
We can help you learn how your specific hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (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 usually don’t get along with water. But you will have a deeper overall summer experience with your hearing aids.
Also, asking us basic questions about your hearing aid model will be a practical plan. For instance, you should ask, can hot weather affect my hearing aids? And you should also ask, how do I safeguard my hearing aids from moisture in the air? The answer to both questions will depend on the model of hearing aid you have.
Maybe stay away from these sounds
As much as you enjoy the sound of the dawn chorus, there are some other summer sounds that could actually be harmful to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to steer clear of them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And they’re harmful to everyone’s ears, not just people who have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few of those sounds:
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a big part of summer, but they can be harmful to your ears. This means you might want to be selective about which shows you see (rather than attending a festival every weekend).
- Boat engines: Be cautious of how close you get and how long you spend around these engines because they are really loud. Try not to leave 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 harmed by fireworks. Likewise, being close to home-launched fireworks can also be damaging to your ears (and limbs). Best to just 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.
But even with hearing loss you most likely won’t want to avoid every noisy summer activity. So what can you do? Well, you can use ear protection. Putting in a set of earplugs before you go to any live music show can minimize a lot of the damage, for example. 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 are dealing with hearing loss, the summer sounds might feel like they’re getting further away. And that means you could miss a lot of the season’s joy.
Getting the most from your summer then, may mean coming to see us. We can help identify the state of your hearing and, if necessary, help decide what kind of hearing aids will be the best choice for you.
So if you want to enjoy the dawn chorus, that’s where you need to start. And you’ll also be able to enjoy all of the other awesome summer sounds.
Get the most from your ears this summer and beyond. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are best for you!