Have you ever awoke after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a pleasant song through your open window? Most people probably aren’t even aware that the name for those bird-songs is the “dawn chorus”. For whatever reason, birds see the sun coming up and choose to start belting out their favorite songs. Each type of bird has its own set of chirps and notes, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
But you might not hear the “dawn chorus” at all if you have neglected hearing loss. And that’s sad.
There are lots 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 ignored. The good news in these instances is that a device like a hearing aid could help you appreciate and more fully enjoy your summer.
The sounds of summer
When you think about summer, you probably start off imagining 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 start incorporating highlights that make this blue sky feel more like summer, the sounds that fill out the day. You may be thinking about:
- The sound of birds singing, particularly in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs are not just enjoyed by humans.)
- The sound of your grandkids playing and laughing.
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping the landscape bloom.
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun goes down.
- The babbling of a stream or the crashing of waves.
You get the point. Summer is alive with amazing sounds. The feeling and vibe of summer are considerably enhanced by these sounds. And these sounds by themselves bring great joy.
It’s possible that hearing loss may have crept up on you, especially if these or any other summer sounds seem to be foreign to you these days. If you have detected your hearing loss then you should get some help with it.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
Building connections is what hearing aids are really about for most. Communication is key. You’ll be more aware of what’s taking place around you, better able to communicate with people around you, and appreciate the sounds in your world. And at those summer cook-outs, for instance, that’s even more relevant.
The latest models of hearing aids can help you bask in the sounds of summer, and they are equipped with some rather amazing built in tech, too. For instance, most contemporary hearing aids offer:
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while you sleep and get full batteries all through the day. It’s much like charging your cellphone. This also makes traveling with hearing aids a lot easier.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can start to enjoy all types of features by connecting your hearing aid to your smartphone. Depending on the specific hearing situation, you will be able to manage the settings on your hearing aids by utilizing an app you can download on most cell phones.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Maybe you want some music playing while you’re out on the boat. Just sync the boat’s radio to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are sophisticated intelligent algorithms, to adjust to your audio landscape before you even knew it needed to. In loud environments or when filtering out particular sounds, this can be especially handy.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get hearing aids that can differentiate particular sounds (your ears once did this) so you can enjoy those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified as well. Modern hearing aids have considerable noise reduction features, so you can hear what you actually want to hear.
- Automatic programming: You can program your modern hearing aids to automatically switch settings depending on the time of day or setting you find yourself in. This function makes them more effective and easier to use.
We can help you discover how your specific hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (you can ask us whether you can take your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for example). Hearing aids usually don’t play well with water. But as a whole, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around livelier experience.
You’ll also want to ask us some basic questions about your hearing aid models. For instance, you should ask, can hot weather impact my hearing aids? Also, does humidity have any effect on my hearing aid and how can I safeguard it? The answer to both questions will depend on the model of hearing aid you have.
Maybe avoid these sounds
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your hearing and you should be certain to avoid them. These are sounds that are, well, loud! And everybody’s ears are vulnerable even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Boat engines: Be cautious of how close you get and how long you spend near these engines because they’re very loud. When you’re fishing, turn the engine off. Or, an even better plan would be to put in some earplugs.
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Going to fireworks shows can undoubtedly damage your ears. Furthermore, being close to home-launched fireworks can also be damaging to your hearing (and limbs). Best to simply stay away from fireworks completely.
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a big part of summer, but they can be damaging to your ears. This means you may want to be selective about which shows you see (rather than going to a festival every weekend).
This is only a partial list. Summer fun for individuals with hearing loss may not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise conditions.
But even with hearing loss you most likely won’t want to stay away from every noisy summer event. So what can you do? Well, you can wear ear protection. Popping in a pair of earplugs before you see any live music show can minimize much of the damage, for instance. But it’s essential that the hearing protection you chooses is reliable.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
As the heat of summer gets more oppressive, if you have hearing loss, the summer sounds might feel like they’re getting further away. Which means, a lot of the joy of the season could pass you by.
So you may need to pay us a visit if you want to be certain that you get the most from your summer. We can help determine the state of your hearing and, if needed, help decide what kind of hearing aid will best suit your needs.
So if you want to enjoy the dawn chorus, that’s where you need to start. And you’ll also be able to enjoy all of the other awesome summer sounds.
Get the most from your ears this summer and beyond. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are right for you!