Have you ever woken up after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a wonderful 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 decide to start singing their favorite songs. The songs of these birds, when they’re all sounding together, are a lovely symphony.
Of course, if you have neglected hearing loss, you might not hear the dawn chorus at all. Which is a pity.
There are lots of amazing sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you might be missing. And you may 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 amazing summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
The sounds of summer
You likely think of a really hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think of summer. But if you stay in your imagination a bit longer, you’ll begin adding highlights that make this blue sky feel more like summer, the sounds that fill out the day. Some sounds you might think about:
- The babbling of a stream or the crashing of waves.
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun sets.
- The sound of birds performing mating songs. (Humans aren’t the only species to use love songs.)
- Bees buzzing about helping nature bloom by pollinating flowers.
- Something as simple as your grandchildren laughing, possibly as they run about the yard or as you catch a baseball game with each other.
You get the idea. There are lots of sounds happening. These are the sounds that fill in your summer, give it quality, and help deliver that overall vibe. Plus, there is so much joy in these simple sounds themselves.
If these summer sounds (or any summer sounds) seem different to you these days, it’s likely because a noticeable level of hearing loss has effectively snuck up on you. Once you’ve detected that issue, the next step is to take action.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
For most people, hearing aids are really about creating connections. Communication is key. 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 especially significant at those summer barbecues, for instance.
Modern hearing aids have some fantastic technology that will help you bask in those summer sounds. Here are some examples of some of that powerful technology:
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to listen to some tunes? Well, your hearing aids can be synced to the boat’s stereo via Bluetooth.
- Noise reduction: If you want to hear the sound of crashing waves, but not the thunder of traffic behind you, you’ll want hearing aids that can help you sort out these sounds (just like your ears used to do). Modern hearing aids have significant noise reduction capabilities, so you can hear what you really want to hear.
- Automatic programming: You can dial in your modern hearing aids to automatically change settings depending on the time of day or environment you find yourself in. This feature makes them more effective and easier to use.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can use “machine learning”, which are sophisticated intelligent algorithms, to adapt to your audio landscape before you even knew it needed to. In loud settings or when filtering out specific sounds, this can be especially handy.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can begin to appreciate 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 using an app you can download on most smartphones.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will remain charged throughout the day after charging while you sleep at night. It’s much like charging your cellphone. And when you vacation with your hearing aids, it becomes very stress free.
We can help you learn 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 instance). Hearing aids and water-sports don’t always play nice together. 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. Will your hearing aids have a problem with hot weather, for example? Also, does humidity have any effect on my hearing aid and how can I protect it? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will differ.
Maybe avoid these sounds
As much as you enjoy the sound of the dawn chorus, there are some other summer sounds that could actually be harmful to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to stay away from them. These loud sounds are a real hazard! And they’re damaging to everyone’s ears, not just individuals who have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are some of those sounds:
- Boat engines: Be cautious of how close you get and how long you spend near these engines because they are very loud. When you’re fishing, shut the engine off. Or, even better, pop in some earplugs for the entirety of your boat trip.
- Live music: It’s a lot of fun to attend a live music concert but the loud volume can be harmful to your ears. This means you may want to be selective about which shows you see (rather than attending a festival every weekend).
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Your hearing can most certainly be harmed by fireworks. This includes both commercial and home launched fireworks. Best to just avoid fireworks altogether.
This is only a partial list. For people who are dealing with hearing loss, summer may have a few less of these noisy activities.
That said, you might not be capable of, or even want to, stay away from all loud noises during the summer. So what’s the strategy? Wearing ear protection is the best option. Popping in a pair of earplugs before you see any live music show can minimize a lot of the damage, for instance. You just need to make sure you’re using effective ear protection.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
If you have hearing loss, the sounds of summer may feel like they’re growing further and further away (even as the heat of summer gets more and more oppressive). And that means you could miss a lot of the season’s joy.
Getting the most out of your summer then, may require coming to see us. We will be able to identify whether your hearing is failing or not, and what kind of hearing aid will be best for your situation.
So if you want to enjoy the dawn chorus, that’s where you need to begin. Because birdsongs are just the beginning of those incredible summer sounds.
Get your hearing tuned up this summer. Call us for a hearing test and find out if hearing aids are the right choice for you.