Have you ever awoke after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a wonderful song through your open window? So happens, there’s a term for all those birdsongs: the dawn chorus. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to belt out their favorite melody. Each species has its own set of chirps and notes, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
But you might not notice the “dawn chorus” at all if you have untreated hearing loss. And that’s unfortunate.
There are lots 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 might be due to 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 enjoy your summer days more fully.
The sounds of summer
When you think about summer, you most likely begin by visualizing the sun in a blue sky. And, a really, really hot sun (whew). But if you stay in your imagination a bit longer, you’ll begin incorporating details that make this blue sky seem more like summer, the sounds that fill in the day. Some sounds you may think about:
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
- The babbling of a brook or the crashing of waves.
- The sound of your grandkids playing and laughing.
- The sound of birds chirping, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs are not just enjoyed by humans.)
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun goes down.
You get the idea. Summer is alive with wonderful sounds. The experience and vibe of summer are considerably enhanced by these sounds. Plus, there is so much joy in these everyday summertime sounds themselves.
If these summer sounds (or any summer sounds) seem foreign to you these days, it’s probably because a noticeable amount of hearing loss has successfully snuck up on you. If you have recognized your hearing loss then you should get some help with it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
Building connections is what hearing aids are really about for most. They’re about communication. 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 at those summer cook-outs, for instance, that’s even more important.
The latest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they come with some rather great built in tech, as well. For instance, most contemporary hearing aids offer:
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while sleeping and get full batteries all through the day. It’s much like charging your phone. This also makes vacationing with hearing aids much easier.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Boating on the lake and want to listen to some tunes? Just connect the boat’s radio to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.
- Noise reduction: If you want to hear the sound of crashing waves, but not the roar 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 capabilities, so you can hear what you actually want to hear.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can connect your hearing aids to your cellphone and begin making the most of all kinds of features. Many cell 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.
- Machine learning: Cutting-edge algorithms (called machine learning) can help your hearing aids adapt to what you need, even before you need it. In loud environments or when filtering out specific sounds, this can be especially convenient.
- Automatic programming: Modern hearing aids can automatically adapt to new surroundings or times of day, depending on how you program them. This makes them easier to use and more reliable.
You can ask us about how your pair of hearing aids are suitable for your favorite activities (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 often don’t get along with water. But you will have a deeper overall summer experience with your hearing aids.
You’ll also want to ask us some basic questions about your hearing aid models. For example, you should ask, can hot weather affect my hearing aids? And you should also ask, how can I protect my hearing aids from humidity? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will vary.
Maybe stay away from these sounds
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your ears and you should be certain to avoid them. These loud sounds are a real hazard! And they’re damaging to everyone’s ears, not just people with pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- 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 shows you attend and use earplugs.
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Going to fireworks shows can definitely damage your ears. This includes both commercial and home launched fireworks. Best to simply stay away from fireworks completely.
- Boat engines: Be cautious 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, even better, pop in some earplugs for the entirety of your boat trip.
This is only a partial list. Summer fun for people who have hearing loss may not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise conditions.
But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to stay away from every loud summer event. So what can you do? Well, you can wear ear protection. For instance, before you go to a concert, put in a pair of earplugs so you can decrease a lot of the damage. 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 may seem 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 require making a pit stop with us. We will be able to figure out whether your hearing is failing or not, and what type of hearing aid will best suit your needs.
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!