Have you ever slept with your bedroom window open and awoke to the wonderful sound of birds singing as the sun is coming up? Turns out, there’s a term for all those birdsongs: the dawn chorus. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to sing out their best 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 neglected hearing loss. And that’s sad.
There are a lot of amazing sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you could be missing. And you may be missing those summer sounds because you have hearing loss that’s gone undiagnosed or simply neglected. 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 visualizing the sun in a blue sky. And, a really, really hot sun (whew). And then you begin to visualize the summer soundtrack that comes with this vision. You might be thinking about:
- The sound of birds performing mating songs. (Humans aren’t the only species to employ love songs.)
- The sound of your grandkids playing and laughing.
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun sets.
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling brook if you’re in a more landlocked area).
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
These are just a few examples. Summer is lively with amazing sounds. The feeling and vibe of summer are greatly enhanced by these sounds. And these sounds by themselves bring great happiness.
It’s possible that hearing loss may have crept up on you, particularly if these or any other summer sounds seem to be different to you these days. Once you’ve detected that problem, the next step is to take action.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
Building relationships is what hearing aids are really all about for most. Communication is key. They make it easier to converse with others, to hear what’s happening around you, and to enjoy the sounds that you hear. And at those summer barbecues, for example, that’s even more relevant.
Contemporary hearing aids have some amazing technology that will help you savor those summer sounds. For example, most modern hearing aids offer:
- 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 function makes them more reliable and simpler to use.
- 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 handy.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can begin to appreciate all types of features by connecting your hearing aid to your cellphone. Many cell phones will now enable 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.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get hearing aids that can differentiate particular sounds (your ears once did this) so you can appreciate 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.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged throughout the day after charging when you are sleeping at night. Basically, you can charge your hearing aids the same way you charge your cellphone. This also makes vacationing with hearing aids a lot easier.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to listen to some tracks? Well, your hearing aids can be synced to the boat’s stereo via Bluetooth.
You can ask us about how your pair of hearing aids are suitable for your favorite adventures (for instance, you can ask whether you can wear them while you’re swimming or hiking in the country, that type of thing). Hearing aids often don’t get along 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 plan. Will your hearing aids have an issue with hot weather, for instance? And you should also ask, how can I safeguard my hearing aids from moisture in the air? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will differ.
Some loud sounds you may want to steer clear of
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your ears and you should make sure to steer clear of them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And they’re harmful to everyone’s ears, not just those who have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Your hearing can most certainly be damaged by fireworks. Furthermore, being close to home-launched fireworks can also be damaging to your hearing (and limbs). Best to just stay away from fireworks altogether.
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so use some caution about distance and duration. Try not to keep the motor running when you’re fishing. Or, better yet, pop in some earplugs for the entirety of your boat trip.
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a great part of summer, but they can be harmful to your ears. So you might want to exercise some caution and be picky about which concerts you attend and use earplugs.
This list is not exhaustive. For people who are dealing with hearing loss, summer might have a few less of these loud events.
But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to avoid every loud summer activity. So what can you do? Well, you can use ear protection. For example, 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 sure you’re using effective ear protection.
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. And that means you could miss a lot of the season’s joy.
Getting the most from your summer then, may require coming to see 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 begin here if you’re ready to enjoy the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are just the beginning of those awesome summer sounds.
Get the most from your ears this summer and beyond. Make an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are best for you!
