Have you ever slept with the window in your bedroom open and awoke to the beautiful sound of birds singing as the sun is coming up? Most people probably don’t even know that those bird songs are called the “dawn chorus”. For whatever reason, birds see the sun rising and decide to start belting out their favorite songs. The songs of these birds, when they’re all singing together, are a beautiful symphony.
But you may not hear the “dawn chorus” at all if you have neglected hearing loss. And that’s unfortunate.
There are a lot of incredible sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you may be missing. And if you find yourself missing out on the sounds of summer, it could be because of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and neglected) hearing loss. The good news in these cases is that a device like a hearing aid may help you appreciate and more fully enjoy your summer.
The sounds of summer
When you think about summer, you likely start off imagining the sun in a blue sky. And, a very, very hot sun (whew). But if you stick with your imagination a little longer, you’ll start incorporating highlights that make this blue sky seem more like summer, the sounds that fill out the day. Some sounds you may think about:
- The sound of your grandkids laughing and playing.
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping the landscape bloom.
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling creek if you’re in a more inland area).
- The sound of birds singing, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs are not just appreciated by humans.)
- The symphony of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the evening.
These are just a few examples. Summer is lively with wonderful sounds. These are the sounds that fill in your summer, give it texture, and help create that overall vibe. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great joy.
It’s possible that hearing loss may have crept up on you, especially if these or any other summer sounds sound to be different to you these days. If you have detected your hearing loss then you need to get some help with it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
For most people, hearing aids are really about building relationships. They’re about communication. They make it easier to converse with others, to hear what’s going on around you, and to enjoy the sounds that you hear. And that’s especially significant at those summer barbecues, for instance.
The latest models of hearing aids can help you bask in the sounds of summer, and they come with some pretty great built in tech, as well. For example, most modern hearing aids offer:
- Machine learning: Fancy algorithms (called machine learning) can help your hearing aids adjust to what you need, even before you need it. In noisy environments or when filtering out specific sounds, this can be especially handy.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Maybe you want some tunes while you’re out on the boat. Well, your hearing aids can be synced to the boat’s stereo via Bluetooth.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged all day after charging when you are sleeping at night. It’s a lot like charging your phone. And when you vacation with your hearing aids, it becomes especially stress free.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can start to appreciate all types of features by connecting your hearing aid to your smartphone. Depending on the specific hearing situation, you will be able to control the settings on your hearing aids using an app you can download on most smartphones.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to have hearing aids that can differentiate particular sounds (your ears used to do this) so you can appreciate those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified as well. Noise reduction features are common in modern hearing aids so you will be able to dial in the sounds you want to hear.
- Automatic programming: Contemporary hearing aids can automatically adjust to new settings or times of day, depending on how you program them. This function makes them more effective and simpler to use.
You can ask us about how your set of hearing aids are appropriate for your favorite adventures (you can ask us whether you can take your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for instance). Hearing aids and water-sports don’t always play nice together. But in general, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around livelier experience.
Also, asking us basic questions about your hearing aid model will be a good plan. Will your hearing aids have an issue with hot weather, for example? Also, does humidity have any impact on my hearing aid and how can I protect it? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will differ.
Maybe stay away from these sounds
As much as you love the sound of the dawn chorus, there are a few other summer sounds that could actually be damaging to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to avoid them. These are sounds that are, well, noisy! And everyone’s ears are vulnerable even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few of those sounds:
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a great 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 attending a festival every weekend).
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so exercise some caution about proximity and duration. When you’re fishing, turn the engine off. Or, an even better idea would be to use some earplugs.
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Going to fireworks shows can undoubtedly harm your hearing. This includes both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks completely.
This list is not exhaustive. Summer fun for individuals who have hearing loss might not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise situations.
But even with hearing loss you most likely won’t want to avoid every loud summer event. So what’s the strategy? Wearing ear protection is the best option. For example, before you go to a concert, put in a set of earplugs so you can reduce most of the damage. You just need to make sure you’re using effective ear protection.
Appreciate the sounds of summer
As the heat of summer becomes more oppressive, if you have hearing loss, the summer sounds might feel like they’re getting further away. Which means, much 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 from your summer. We can help identify the state of your hearing and, if necessary, help determine what kind of hearing loss will best suit your needs.
So begin here if you’re ready to appreciate the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are just the beginning of those amazing summer sounds.
Get the most out of your ears this summer and beyond. Call us for a hearing exam and find out if hearing aids are the right choice for you.