Have you ever woken up after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a delightful song through your open window? Most people probably don’t even know that those bird songs are called the “dawn chorus”. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to belt out their favorite melody. Each type of bird has its own kind of song, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
But you may not notice the “dawn chorus” at all if you have untreated hearing loss. And that’s unfortunate.
There are a lot of amazing sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you could be missing. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it might 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
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 goes along with this vision. Some sounds you might think about:
- The sound of birds singing, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs aren’t just enjoyed by humans.)
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling brook if you’re in a more landlocked area).
- Bees buzzing around helping nature bloom by pollinating flowers.
- Something as simple as your grandchildren laughing, maybe as they run about the yard or as you catch a baseball game with each other.
- The sound of frogs croaking at night, especially in the early hours of the evening.
These are just a few examples. Summer is lively with wonderful sounds. The experience and vibe of summer are significantly enhanced by these sounds. Plus, there is so much joy in these simple sounds themselves.
If these summer sounds (or any sounds of summer) seem foreign to you these days, it’s probably because a noticeable level of hearing loss has successfully crept up on you. If you have noticed your hearing loss then you need to get some help with it.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
For most, hearing aids are really about building relationships. Communication is key. They make it easier to talk to others, to hear what’s going on around you, and to appreciate the sounds that you hear. And that’s especially important at those summer barbecues, for instance.
The newest models of hearing aids can help you bask in the sounds of summer, and they are equipped with some rather amazing built in tech, too. Here are some examples of some of that powerful technology:
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are sophisticated intelligent algorithms, to adapt to your audio landscape before you even recognized it needed to. This is particularly convenient when filtering sounds or in a noisy environment.
- Automatic programming: You can program your modern hearing aids to automatically adjust settings depending on the time of day or setting you find yourself in. This makes them simpler to use and more effective.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get hearing aids that can differentiate specific sounds (your ears once did this) so you can appreciate those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified as well. Modern hearing aids have considerable noise reduction capabilities, so you can hear what you actually want to hear.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Perhaps you want some music playing while you’re out on the boat. Just sync the boat’s radio to your hearing aids using Bluetooth.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can start to appreciate all types of features by connecting your hearing aid to your smartphone. Many phones will now permit you to download apps that help you manage the settings on your hearing aids, so you can fine-tune for birdsong or grandkid’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that time.
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while you sleep and enjoy full batteries throughout the day. 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 really hassle free.
You can ask us about how your pair of hearing aids are suited to your favorite activities (you can ask us if you can bring your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for instance). Hearing aids usually don’t play well 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 idea. Will your hearing aids have an issue with hot weather, for example? Also, does humidity have any effect on my hearing aid and how can I safeguard it? The answer to both will depend on the model of hearing aid you have.
Perhaps avoid these sounds
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your hearing and you should make sure to steer clear of them. These are sounds that are, well, noisy! And they’re damaging to everyone’s ears, not just people who have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few of those sounds:
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Going to fireworks shows can definitely harm your ears. Likewise, being near home-launched fireworks can also be damaging to your hearing (and limbs). It’s best for your hearing to stay away from fireworks completely.
- 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, shut the engine off. Or, better yet, pop in some earplugs for the duration of your boat trip.
- 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. So you may want to exercise some caution and be selective about which concerts you attend and wear earplugs.
This is only a partial list. For individuals who are coping with hearing loss, summer may have a few less of these noisy events.
But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to stay away from every noisy summer activity. So what’s the strategy? Well, you can use ear protection. For instance, before you go to a live show, put in a pair of earplugs so you can minimize a lot of the damage. But it’s important that the hearing protection you chooses is effective.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
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 get lost.
So you might need to pay us a visit if you want to be certain that you get the most out of your summer. We can help identify the state of your hearing and, if needed, help decide what kind of hearing aid will best suit your needs.
So if you want to appreciate 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. Call us for a hearing test and find out if hearing aids are the right option for you.