Have you ever woken up 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. For whatever reason, birds see the sun coming up and decide to start singing their favorite songs. The songs of these birds, when they’re all sounding together, are a lovely symphony.
Of course, if you have neglected hearing loss, you might not hear the dawn chorus at all. And that’s unfortunate.
That’s particularly true because it’s not just birdsong you might be missing out on. Summer is full of amazing sounds. And if you find yourself missing out on the sounds of summer, it could be the result of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and dismissed) hearing loss. But you can start to enjoy all of those amazing summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
The sounds of summer
You most likely think of a really hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think of summer. But if you stay in your imagination a bit longer, you’ll start adding details that make this blue sky seem more like summer, the sounds that fill out the day. Some sounds you may think about:
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
- Something as simple as your grandkids laughing, maybe as they run about the yard or as you catch a baseball game together.
- The symphony of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the evening.
- The sound of birds singing out mating songs. (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).
These are only a few examples. There are lots of sounds going on. These are the sounds that complete your summer, give it texture, and help establish that overall vibe. Plus, there is so much happiness in these everyday summertime sounds themselves.
It’s feasible that hearing loss may have snuck up on you, particularly if these or any other summer sounds seem to be foreign to you these days. Once you’ve noticed that issue, the next step is to do something about it.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
Building relationships is what hearing aids are really about for most. They’re about communication. You’ll be more mindful of what’s happening around you, better able to communicate with people around you, and appreciate the sounds in your life. And that’s particularly important at those summer barbecues, for example.
The latest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they come with some pretty amazing built in tech, too. Here are some instances of some of that powerful technology:
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged all day after charging while you sleep at night. Basically, you can charge your hearing aids in the same way you charge your cellphone. This also makes traveling with hearing aids much easier.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can start to appreciate all types of features by syncing your hearing aid to your cellphone. Depending on the specific hearing situation, you will be able to control the settings on your hearing aids by utilizing an app you can download on most smartphones.
- Noise reduction: If you want to hear the sound of crashing waves, but not the thunder of traffic behind you, you’ll want hearing aids that can help you sort out these sounds (in the same way your ears used to do). Modern hearing aids have considerable noise reduction features, so you can hear what you actually want to hear.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to enjoy some tracks? Just connect the boat’s radio to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are advanced intelligent algorithms, to adjust to your audio landscape before you even knew it needed to. In loud settings or when filtering out specific sounds, this can be especially handy.
- Automatic programming: You can program your modern hearing aids to automatically switch settings depending on the time of day or environment you find yourself in. This makes them simpler to use and more effective.
You can ask us about how your pair of hearing aids are suitable for your favorite adventures (for example, you can ask whether you can wear them while you’re going for a swim or hiking up a mountain, that sort of thing). Hearing aids usually don’t play well with water. But all in all, 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 idea. Will your hearing aids have an issue with hot weather, for example? And you should also ask, how do I protect my hearing aids from moisture in the air? The answer to both questions will depend on the model of hearing aid you use.
Some loud sounds you may want to steer clear of
As much as you enjoy the sound of the dawn chorus, there are some other summer sounds that could actually be harmful to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to steer clear of them. These are sounds that are, well, noisy! And they’re damaging to everyone’s ears, not just those with pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a big part of summer, but they can be damaging to your hearing. This means you may want to be particular about which shows you see (rather than going to a festival every weekend).
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so exercise some caution about proximity and duration. Try not to leave the motor idling when you’re fishing. Or, an even better idea would be to use some earplugs.
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Your hearing can most certainly be harmed by fireworks. This includes both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks entirely.
This is only a partial list. For people who are dealing with hearing loss, summer might have a few less of these loud events.
But even with hearing loss you most likely won’t want to avoid every loud summer activity. 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 reduce a lot of the damage. You just need to make sure you’re using reliable ear protection.
Enjoy the sounds of summer
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.
Getting the most out of your summer then, might mean coming to see us. We will be able to figure out whether your hearing is waning or not, and what type of hearing aid will best suit your needs.
So if you want to appreciate the dawn chorus, that’s where you need to start. Because birdsongs are just the beginning of those incredible summer sounds.
Get a hearing tune-up this summer. Call us for a hearing exam and find out if hearing aids are the right option for you.