Have you ever slept with your bedroom window open and woken up to the beautiful sound of birds singing just as the sun comes up? So happens, there’s a term for all those birdsongs: 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 lovely symphony.
Of course, if you have neglected hearing loss, you may not hear the dawn chorus at all. Which is a shame.
That’s especially true because it’s not just birdsong you might be missing out on. Summer is full of incredible sounds. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it could be due to 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
When you think about summer, you most likely begin by imagining the sun in a blue sky. And, a really, really hot sun (whew). But if you stay in your imagination a little longer, you’ll begin incorporating details that make this blue sky feel more like summer, the sounds that fill in the day. Some sounds you might think about:
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling creek if you’re in a more inland area).
- The sound of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the evening.
- The sound of your grandchildren playing and laughing.
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping the landscape bloom.
- The sound of birds performing mating songs. (Humans aren’t the only species to utilize love songs.)
You get the point. Summer is alive with amazing sounds. The experience and vibe of summer are significantly enhanced by these sounds. Plus, there is so much happiness in these everyday summertime sounds themselves.
If these sounds of summer (or any summer sounds) seem different to you these days, it’s likely because an apparent amount of hearing loss has successfully crept up on you. If you have noticed your hearing loss then you should get some help with it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
For most individuals, hearing aids are really about creating relationships. Communication is key. They make it easier to talk to others, to hear what’s going on around you, and to enjoy the sounds that you hear. And at those summer cook-outs, for example, that’s even more important.
The latest models of hearing aids can help you bask in the sounds of summer, and they are equipped with some pretty amazing built in tech, too. For example, most modern hearing aids offer:
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Boating on the lake and want to enjoy some tracks? Well, your hearing aids can be connected to the boat’s stereo using Bluetooth.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can use “machine learning”, which are sophisticated intelligent algorithms, to adapt to your audio landscape before you even recognized it needed to. This is particularly handy when filtering sounds or in a noisy environment.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged all day after charging while you sleep at night. It’s a lot like charging your cellphone. And when you vacation with your hearing aids, it becomes very stress free.
- 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 simpler to use.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get 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 too. Modern hearing aids have considerable noise reduction capabilities, so you can hear what you really want to hear.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can sync your hearing aids to your smartphone and start making the most of all kinds of features. Depending on the particular hearing situation, you will be able to control the settings on your hearing aids by utilizing an app you can download on most cell phones.
We can help you learn how your specific hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (you can ask us whether you can bring your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for instance). Hearing aids usually don’t play well with water. But you will have a richer overall summer experience with your hearing aids.
Also, asking us basic questions about your hearing aid model will be a practical idea. Will your hearing aids have a problem with hot weather, for instance? Also, does humidity have any impact on my hearing aid and how can I safeguard it? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will vary.
Some loud sounds you may want to steer clear of
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, noisy! And they’re harmful to everyone’s ears, not just people who have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few of those sounds:
- Live music: It’s a lot of fun to attend a live music concert but the loud volume 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).
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Attending fireworks shows can certainly damage your ears. Likewise, being close to home-launched fireworks can also be damaging to your ears (and limbs). It’s best for your hearing to stay away from fireworks entirely.
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so exercise some caution about distance and duration. Try not to leave the motor idling when you’re fishing. Or, an even better plan would be to put in some earplugs.
This is only a partial list. Summer fun for individuals with hearing loss might not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise conditions.
But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to stay away from every loud summer event. So what’s the strategy? Using ear protection is the best option. For instance, before you go to a live show, put in a pair of earplugs so you can minimize most of the damage. But it’s important that the hearing protection you chooses is effective.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
If you are dealing with hearing loss, the sounds of summer could feel like they’re getting further and further away (even as the heat of summer becomes more and more oppressive). Which means, much of the joy of the season could pass you by.
Getting the most out of your summer then, might mean coming to see us. We will be able to determine 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 should begin. Because birdsongs are just the beginning of those amazing summer sounds.
Get your hearing tuned up this summer. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are best for you!