Have you ever slept with the window in your bedroom open and awoke to the wonderful sound of birds singing just as the sun comes up? Most individuals probably aren’t even aware that those bird songs are called the “dawn chorus”. For whatever reason, birds see the sun coming up and decide 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 untreated hearing loss. And that’s sad.
That’s particularly true because it’s not just birdsong you may be missing out on. Summer is full of amazing sounds. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it could be the result of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and dismissed) 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 imagining the sun in a blue sky. And, a very, very hot sun (whew). And then you begin to imagine the summer soundtrack that goes along with this vision. Some sounds you may think about:
- The babbling of a stream or the crashing of waves.
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
- Something as basic as your grandkids laughing, possibly as they run about the yard or as you catch a baseball game together.
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun goes down.
- The sound of birds chirping, particularly in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs are not just appreciated by humans.)
You get the idea. There are a bunch of sounds going on. The feeling and vibe of summer are significantly enhanced by these sounds. Plus, there is so much joy in these simple sounds themselves.
It’s possible that hearing loss may have snuck up on you, particularly if these or any other summer sounds sound to be different to you these days. If you have recognized your hearing loss then you need to get something done 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 significant at those summer barbecues, for instance.
The newest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they come with some pretty amazing built in tech, as well. For instance, most modern hearing aids offer:
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to enjoy some tracks? Just connect the boat’s radio to your hearing aids using Bluetooth.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can start to enjoy all types of features by syncing 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 adjust for birdsong or grandkid’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that time.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are advanced intelligent algorithms, to adapt to your audio landscape before you even recognized it needed to. This is especially convenient when filtering sounds or in a loud setting.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will remain charged all day after charging while you sleep at night. Basically, you can charge your hearing aids the same way you charge your cellphone. This also makes traveling with hearing aids a lot easier.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to have hearing aids that can sort through 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: You can program your modern hearing aids to automatically change settings depending on the time of day or setting you find yourself in. This function makes them more effective and simpler to use.
You can ask us about how your pair of hearing aids are appropriate for your favorite adventures (for instance, you can ask whether you can wear them while you’re swimming or hiking in the country, that sort of thing). 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.
You’ll also want to ask us some basic questions about your hearing aid models. Will your hearing aids have a problem with hot weather, for instance? Also, does humidity have any effect on my hearing aid and how can I safeguard it? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will vary.
Perhaps 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 harmful to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to steer clear of them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And everyone’s ears are at risk even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Your hearing can definitely be damaged by fireworks. This goes for both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks entirely.
- Boat engines: Be careful of how close you get and how long you spend near these engines because they are really loud. When you’re fishing, turn the engine off. Or, an even better plan would be to use some earplugs.
- Live music: It’s great fun to go and see a live music concert but the loud volume can be harmful to your hearing. So you might want to exercise some caution and be selective about which shows you attend and use earplugs.
This list isn’t exhaustive. Summer activities for people with hearing loss may not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise situations.
That said, you may not be able to, or even want to, stay away from all loud noises over the summer. So what can you do? Well, you can use ear protection. Popping in a pair of earplugs before you go to any live music show can mitigate a lot of the damage, for instance. But it’s essential that the hearing protection you chooses is effective.
Enjoy the sounds of summer
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, much of the joy of the season could get lost.
So you might need to come in and see us if you want to make sure you get the most out of your summer. We can help figure out the state of your hearing and, if needed, help decide what kind of hearing aid will best suit your needs.
So start here if you’re ready to appreciate the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are just the beginning of those awesome summer sounds.
Get the most from your ears this summer and beyond. Call us for a hearing test and discover if hearing aids are the right option for you.
