Have you ever awoke after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a beautiful song through your open window? Turns out, there’s a term for all those birdsongs: the dawn chorus. For whatever reason, birds see the sun coming up and decide to start belting out their favorite songs. Each type of bird has its own set of chirps and notes, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
Of course, if you have neglected hearing loss, you might not notice the dawn chorus at all. Which is a shame.
That’s especially true because it isn’t just birdsong you may be missing out on. Summer is full of awesome sounds. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it may be because of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and neglected) hearing loss. The good news in these situations is that a device like a hearing aid could help you appreciate and more fully enjoy your summer.
The sounds of summer
You probably think of a very hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think of summer. But if you stay in your imagination a little longer, you’ll start adding highlights that make this blue sky seem more like summer, the sounds that fill out the day. You might be thinking about:
- The sound of birds chirping, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Humans aren’t the only species to use love songs.)
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling brook if you’re in a more inland area).
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun goes down.
- The sound of your grandkids laughing and playing.
- Bees buzzing around helping nature bloom by pollinating flowers.
These are only a few examples. Summer is lively with wonderful sounds. These are the sounds that complete your summer, give it texture, and help deliver that overall vibe. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great joy.
If these summer sounds (or any summer sounds) seem different to you these days, it’s probably because an apparent level of hearing loss has effectively crept up on you. Once you’ve noticed that issue, the next step is to do something about it.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
Building connections is what hearing aids are really all about for most. They’re about communication. You’ll be more mindful of what’s happening around you, better able to communicate with people around you, and enjoy the sounds in your world. And that’s particularly important at those summer barbecues, for example.
The newest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they are equipped with some pretty great built in tech, too. For example, most modern hearing aids provide:
- Smartphone compatibility: You can connect your hearing aids to your smartphone and start making the most of all kinds of features. Depending on the particular hearing situation, you will be able to control the settings on your hearing aids by utilizing an app you can download on most smartphones.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Boating on the lake and want to enjoy some tracks? Well, your hearing aids can be synced to the boat’s stereo using Bluetooth.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to have hearing aids that can sort through specific sounds (your ears once did this) so you can enjoy those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified too. Noise reduction features are normal in modern hearing aids so you will be able to dial in the sounds you want to hear.
- Machine learning: Fancy algorithms (called machine learning) can help your hearing aids adapt to what you need, even before you need it. In noisy environments or when filtering out particular sounds, this can be especially convenient.
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while sleeping and get full batteries all through the day. It’s a lot like charging your cellphone. And when you travel with your hearing aids, it becomes really stress free.
- Automatic programming: You can program your modern hearing aids to automatically change settings depending on the time of day or environment you find yourself in. This makes them easier to use and more effective.
We can help you discover how your specific hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (you can ask us whether you can bring your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for example). Hearing aids often don’t play well with water. But as a whole, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around richer experience.
You’ll also want to ask us some standard questions about your hearing aid models. Will your hearing aids have an issue with hot weather, for instance? Also, does humidity have any impact on my hearing aid and how can I protect it? 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 love the sound of the dawn chorus, there are a few other summer sounds that could actually be harmful to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to stay away from them. These are sounds that are, well, noisy! And everybody’s ears are at risk even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few of those sounds:
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Attending fireworks shows can definitely harm your ears. This goes for both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to stay away from fireworks completely.
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so exercise some caution about proximity and exposure time. Try not to leave the motor idling when you’re fishing. Or, an even better idea would be to put in some earplugs.
- Live music: It’s a lot of fun to go and see a live music concert but the loud volume can be harmful to your hearing. This means you may want to be selective about which shows you see (rather than attending a festival every weekend).
This list is not exhaustive. Summer fun for individuals with hearing loss may not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise conditions.
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. Popping in a pair of earplugs before you see any live music show can mitigate much of the damage, for instance. You just need to make certain you’re using effective ear protection.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
If you are dealing with hearing loss, the sounds of summer may feel like they’re getting further and further away (even as the heat of summer becomes more and more oppressive). Which means, a lot of the joy of the season could get lost.
Getting the most from your summer then, may require coming to see us. We can help figure out the state of your hearing and, if necessary, help decide what type of hearing aid will be the best choice for you.
So if you want to enjoy the dawn chorus, that’s where you should begin. And you’ll also be able to enjoy all of the other wonderful summer sounds.
Get your hearing tuned up this summer. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are right for you!