Have you ever woken up after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a delightful song through your open window? Turns out, there’s a name 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 species has its own kind of song, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
Of course, if you have untreated hearing loss, you might not hear the dawn chorus at all. Which is a pity.
That’s especially true because it’s not just birdsong you may be missing out on. Summer is full of incredible sounds. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it may be due to some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and dismissed) hearing loss. The good news in these instances is that a device like a hearing aid could help you appreciate and more fully enjoy your summer.
The sounds of summer
When you think about summer, you most likely start off visualizing the sun in a blue sky. And, a really, really hot sun (whew). And then you start to visualize the summer soundtrack that comes with this vision. Some sounds you may think about:
- The sound of birds singing out mating songs. (Humans aren’t the only species to utilize love songs.)
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun goes down.
- The sound of your grandchildren playing and laughing.
- Bees buzzing about helping nature bloom by pollinating flowers.
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling creek if you’re in a more inland area).
These are just a few examples. There are a bunch of sounds happening. These are the sounds that fill in your summer, give it quality, and help establish that overall vibe. And these sounds by themselves bring great happiness.
It’s possible that hearing loss might have snuck up on you, particularly if these or any other summer sounds seem to be foreign to you these days. Once you’ve noticed that issue, the next step is to do something about it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
Building relationships 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 those around you, and enjoy the sounds in your world. And that’s particularly important at those summer barbecues, for instance.
The newest models of hearing aids can help you bask in the sounds of summer, and they come with some pretty amazing built in tech, too. For instance, most modern hearing aids offer:
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to listen to some music? Well, your hearing aids can be synced to the boat’s stereo using Bluetooth.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will remain charged throughout the day after charging when you are sleeping at night. Basically, you can charge your hearing aids in the same way you charge your cellphone. And when you vacation with your hearing aids, it becomes very hassle free.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can connect your hearing aids to your cellphone and start enjoying all kinds of features. Many cell phones will now allow you to download apps that help you manage the settings on your hearing aids, so you can adjust for birdsong or grandkid’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that time.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get hearing aids that can differentiate specific sounds (your ears used to do this) so you can enjoy those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified as well. Modern hearing aids have substantial noise reduction features, so you can hear what you really want to hear.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are advanced intelligent algorithms, to adjust to your audio landscape before you even knew it needed to. In noisy environments or when filtering out specific sounds, this can be especially handy.
- Automatic programming: Modern hearing aids can automatically adapt to new settings or times of day, depending on how you program them. This feature makes them more effective and easier to use.
We can help you learn how your particular 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 instance). Hearing aids frequently don’t play well with water. 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. Will your hearing aids have a problem with hot weather, for example? Also, does humidity have any effect on my hearing aid and how can I safeguard it? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will differ.
Maybe avoid these sounds
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your ears and you should make sure to avoid them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And they’re harmful to everyone’s ears, not just individuals who have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Attending fireworks shows can definitely harm your hearing. Likewise, being close to home-launched fireworks can also be damaging to your ears (and limbs). It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks entirely.
- Boat engines: Be careful of how close you get and how long you spend near these engines because they’re really loud. When you’re fishing, turn the engine off. Or, better yet, put in some earplugs for the duration of your boat trip.
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a big part of summer, but they can be harmful to your hearing. This means you might want to be selective about which shows you see (rather than going to a festival every weekend).
This list isn’t exhaustive. For individuals who are dealing with hearing loss, summer may have a few less of these loud events.
But even with hearing loss you most likely won’t want to stay away from every loud summer event. So what’s the strategy? Using ear protection is the best solution. For example, before you go to a concert, put in a pair of earplugs so you can reduce most of the damage. But it’s essential that the hearing protection you chooses is effective.
Appreciate the sounds of summer
As the heat of summer becomes more oppressive, if you have hearing loss, the summer sounds may seem like they’re getting further away. And that means you might miss a lot of the season’s joy.
Getting the most out of your summer then, may mean making a pit stop with us. We will be able to identify whether your hearing is waning or not, and what kind of hearing aid will be best for your situation.
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 your hearing tuned up this summer. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are best for you!