Have you ever woken up after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a beautiful song through your open window? Turns out, there’s a term for all those birdsongs: the dawn chorus. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to sing out their best melody. Each type of bird has its own set of chirps and notes, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
But you may not hear the “dawn chorus” at all if you have untreated hearing loss. And that’s unfortunate.
There are a lot of amazing sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you might be missing. And you might be missing those summer sounds because you have hearing loss that’s gone undiagnosed or simply dismissed. But you can begin to enjoy all of those wonderful summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
Summer sounds
You probably think of a very hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think about summer. And then you begin to imagine the summer soundtrack that comes with this vision. Some sounds you might think about:
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun goes down.
- 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 creek if you’re in a more landlocked area).
- The sound of your grandkids playing and laughing.
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping the landscape bloom.
These are just a few examples. Summer is alive with wonderful sounds. These are the sounds that complete your summer, give it quality, and help deliver that overall vibe. And these sounds by themselves bring great happiness.
If these sounds of summer (or any sounds of summer) seem different to you these days, it’s likely because an apparent level of hearing loss has successfully crept up on you. If you have noticed your hearing loss then you should get something done about it.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
For most, hearing aids are really about strengthening connections. They’re about communication. They make it easier to talk to others, to hear what’s happening around you, and to enjoy the sounds that you hear. And that’s particularly important at those summer barbecues, for example.
Modern hearing aids have some incredible technology that will help you bask in those summer sounds. For example, most modern hearing aids provide:
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while you sleep and get full batteries all through the day. Essentially, you can charge your hearing aids in the same way you charge your cellphone. This also makes vacationing with hearing aids a lot easier.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get 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 too. Noise reduction features are common in modern hearing aids so you will be capable of dialing in the sounds you want to hear.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can connect your hearing aids to your cellphone and begin enjoying all kinds of features. Depending on the particular hearing situation, you will be able to manage the settings on your hearing aids by utilizing an app you can download on most smartphones.
- Automatic programming: Modern hearing aids can automatically adapt to new surroundings or times of day, depending on how you program them. This function makes them more reliable and simpler to use.
- Machine learning: Fancy algorithms (called machine learning) can help your hearing aids adjust to what you need, even before you need it. This is especially handy when filtering sounds or in a noisy environment.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Maybe you want some tunes while you’re out boating. Well, your hearing aids can be connected to the boat’s stereo via Bluetooth.
You can ask us about how your pair of hearing aids are appropriate for your favorite activities (for instance, you can ask whether you can wear them while you’re going for a swim or hiking up a mountain, that type 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 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? And you should also ask, how do I protect my hearing aids from moisture in the air? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will differ.
Perhaps stay away from these sounds
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your hearing and you should make sure to avoid 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:
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a big part of summer, but they can be damaging to your ears. So you may want to exercise some caution and be picky about which concerts you attend and wear earplugs.
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Attending fireworks shows can definitely harm your hearing. This goes for both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks completely.
- Boat engines: Be cautious of how close you get and how long you spend near these engines because they are very loud. Try not to leave the motor idling when you’re fishing. Or, better yet, pop in some earplugs for the duration of your boat trip.
This list isn’t exhaustive. Summer fun for people with hearing loss might not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise situations.
But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to avoid every loud summer activity. 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 a lot of the damage, for instance. But it’s important that the hearing protection you chooses is effective.
Appreciate the sounds of summer
As the heat of summer gets more oppressive, if you have hearing loss, the summer sounds may seem like they’re getting further away. And that means you could miss a lot of the season’s joy.
So you may need to come in and see us if you want to be certain that you get the most out of your summer. We can help determine the state of your hearing and, if necessary, help decide 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 begin. Because birdsongs are only the beginning of those awesome summer sounds.
Get your hearing tuned up this summer. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are best for you!