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? Most people 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. And that’s unfortunate.
That’s particularly true because it’s not just birdsong you might be missing out on. Summer is full of awesome sounds. And if you find yourself missing out on the sounds of summer, it may be the result of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and ignored) hearing loss. The good news in these situations is that a device like a hearing aid could help you appreciate and enjoy your summer days more fully.
Summer sounds
When you think about summer, you probably begin by imagining the sun in a blue sky. And, a really, really hot sun (whew). And then you begin to visualize the summer soundtrack that goes along with this vision. You may be thinking about:
- Something as simple as your grandchildren laughing, possibly as they run about the yard or as you catch a baseball game together.
- The babbling of a creek or the crashing of waves.
- The sound of frogs croaking at night, especially 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 utilize love songs.)
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
You get the point. Summer is lively with wonderful sounds. The experience and vibe of summer are considerably enhanced by these sounds. Plus, there is so much joy in these simple sounds themselves.
It’s feasible that hearing loss may have crept up on you, especially if these or any other summer sounds seem to be different to you these days. 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 strengthening connections. 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.
Modern hearing aids have some incredible technology that will help you bask in those summer sounds. For example, most contemporary hearing aids offer:
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged throughout the day after charging when you are sleeping at night. It’s a lot like charging your cellphone. This also makes traveling with hearing aids much easier.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Perhaps you want some tunes while you’re out on the boat. Well, your hearing aids can be connected to the boat’s stereo using Bluetooth.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can use “machine learning”, which are sophisticated intelligent algorithms, to adapt 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.
- Automatic programming: Contemporary hearing aids can automatically adapt to new environments or times of day, depending on how you program them. This makes them easier to use and more effective.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to have hearing aids that can sort through particular sounds (your ears used to do this) so you can enjoy those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified too. Modern hearing aids have substantial noise reduction capabilities, so you can hear what you really want to hear.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can connect your hearing aids to your cellphone and begin enjoying 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.
We can help you learn how your particular hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (for example, you can ask whether you can use them while you’re going for a swim or hiking in the country, that kind of thing). Hearing aids usually don’t get along with water. But you will have a richer overall summer experience with your hearing aids.
You’ll also want to ask us some standard 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? 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 be certain to steer clear of them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And everybody’s ears are vulnerable even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Going to fireworks shows can undoubtedly damage your ears. This includes both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks completely.
- Boat engines: Be careful of how close you get and how long you spend near these engines because they are really loud. Try not to keep the motor running when you’re fishing. Or, even better, put in some earplugs for the entirety of your boat trip.
- Live music: It’s great fun to attend a live music concert but the loud volume can be harmful to your ears. This means you may want to be particular about which shows you see (rather than going to a festival every weekend).
This is only a partial list. For individuals who are dealing with hearing loss, summer may have a few less of these loud activities.
But even with hearing loss you most likely won’t want to stay away from every loud summer activity. So what’s the strategy? Well, you can wear ear protection. Putting in a set of earplugs before you see any live music show can mitigate a lot of the damage, for example. But it’s important that the hearing protection you chooses is reliable.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
As the heat of summer becomes more oppressive, if you are dealing with hearing loss, the summer sounds may feel like they’re getting further away. And that means you could miss a lot of the season’s joy.
So you might need to pay us a visit if you want to be certain that you get the most from your summer. We will be able to determine whether your hearing is failing or not, and what type of hearing aid will be best for your situation.
So start here if you’re ready to enjoy the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are only the beginning of those awesome summer sounds.
Get a hearing tune-up this summer. Call us for a hearing exam and discover if hearing aids are the right option for you.