Have you ever woken up after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a pleasant song through your open window? Most individuals probably aren’t even aware that those bird songs are called the “dawn chorus”. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to belt out their favorite melody. Each type of bird has its own set of chirps and notes, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
Of course, if you have neglected hearing loss, you might not notice the dawn chorus at all. And that’s unfortunate.
That’s particularly true because it isn’t just birdsong you may be missing out on. Summer is full of amazing sounds. And you may be missing those summer sounds because you have hearing loss that’s gone undiagnosed or simply neglected. But you can begin to enjoy all of those amazing summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
Summer sounds
You likely think of a really hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think of summer. But if you stick with your imagination a bit longer, you’ll start incorporating highlights that make this blue sky seem more like summer, the sounds that fill out the day. You may be thinking about:
- The sound of birds chirping, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Humans aren’t the only species to utilize love songs.)
- The sound of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the night.
- Bees buzzing around helping nature bloom by pollinating flowers.
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling brook if you’re in a more landlocked area).
- The sound of your grandchildren laughing and playing.
You get the idea. There are lots of sounds going on. The feeling and vibe of summer are considerably enhanced by these sounds. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great happiness.
It’s possible that hearing loss may have snuck up on you, especially if these or any other summer sounds sound to be foreign to you these days. Once you’ve detected that problem, the next step is to take action.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
For most people, hearing aids are really about creating relationships. They’re about communication. They make it easier to converse with others, to hear what’s happening around you, and to appreciate the sounds that you hear. And at those summer barbecues, for instance, that’s even more relevant.
The latest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they come with some rather great built in tech, too. Here are some examples of some of that potent technology:
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get hearing aids that can sort through particular sounds (your ears once did this) so you can enjoy those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified too. Noise reduction features are common in modern hearing aids so you will be able to dial in the sounds you want to hear.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can sync your hearing aids to your smartphone and start enjoying all sorts of features. Depending on the particular hearing situation, you will be able to control the settings on your hearing aids using an app you can download on most smartphones.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to listen to some music? Just connect the boat’s radio to your hearing aids using Bluetooth.
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while you sleep and get full batteries all through the day. It’s a lot like charging your phone. And when you travel with your hearing aids, it becomes really stress free.
- Automatic programming: Contemporary hearing aids can automatically adapt to new environments or times of day, depending on how they’re programmed. This function makes them more reliable and simpler to use.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can use “machine learning”, which are sophisticated intelligent algorithms, to adjust to your audio landscape before you even knew it needed to. This is particularly handy when filtering sounds or in a loud environment.
We can help you learn how your specific hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (for instance, you can ask whether you can wear them while you’re going for a swim or hiking in the country, that kind of thing). Hearing aids and water-sports don’t always get along. But all in all, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around richer experience.
Also, asking us basic questions about your hearing aid model will be a practical idea. For example, you should ask, can hot weather affect my hearing aids? 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 differ.
Some loud sounds you may want to avoid
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your ears and you should be certain to steer clear of them. These are sounds that are, well, loud! And they’re damaging to everyone’s ears, not just people with pre-existing hearing loss. Here are some 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. So you might want to use some caution and be picky about which shows you attend and use earplugs.
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so use some caution about distance and duration. When you’re fishing, shut the engine off. Or, an even better plan would be to put in some earplugs.
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Your hearing can most certainly be damaged by fireworks. Furthermore, being near home-launched fireworks can also be harmful to your ears (and limbs). Best to just avoid fireworks altogether.
This is only a partial list. For people who are coping with hearing loss, summer may have a few less of these noisy activities.
But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to avoid every noisy summer event. So what’s the solution? Well, you can use ear protection. Popping in a set of earplugs before you go to any live music show can minimize much of the damage, for example. You just need to make sure you’re using effective ear protection.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
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, a lot of the joy of the season could pass you by.
Getting the most from your summer then, might mean making a pit stop with us. We will be able to identify whether your hearing is failing or not, and 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 wonderful summer sounds.
Get the most out of your ears this summer and beyond. Call us for a hearing test and discover if hearing aids are the right option for you.
