Have you ever slept with the window in your bedroom open and awoke to the lovely sound of birds singing as the sun is coming up? 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 species has its own kind of song, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
But you might not notice the “dawn chorus” at all if you have neglected hearing loss. And that’s sad.
That’s particularly true because it isn’t just birdsong you might be missing out on. Summer is full of amazing sounds. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it may be the result of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and neglected) hearing loss. But you can start to enjoy all of those wonderful summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
The sounds of summer
When you think about summer, you probably start off visualizing the sun in a blue sky. And, a really, really hot sun (whew). But if you stick with your imagination a bit longer, you’ll start adding details that make this blue sky seem more like summer, the sounds that fill in the day. You may be thinking about:
- The babbling of a brook or the crashing of waves.
- The sound of your grandchildren playing and laughing.
- The sound of birds chirping, particularly in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Humans aren’t the only species to employ love songs.)
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping the landscape bloom.
- The symphony of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the evening.
These are only a few examples. There are lots of sounds happening. The experience and vibe of summer are greatly enhanced by these sounds. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great happiness.
If these summer sounds (or any summer sounds) seem foreign to you these days, it’s most likely because an apparent amount of hearing loss has successfully snuck up on you. Once you’ve noticed that issue, the next step is to do something about it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
For most individuals, hearing aids are really about building relationships. 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 especially important 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 really great built in tech, as well. Here are some instances of some of that potent technology:
- Smartphone compatibility: You can start to appreciate all types of features by connecting your hearing aid to your smartphone. 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 cell phones.
- Noise reduction: If you want to hear the crashing of the waves, but not the roar of traffic behind you, you’ll want hearing aids that can help you sort out these sounds (just like your ears once did). Noise reduction features are common in modern hearing aids so you will be capable of dialing in the sounds you want to hear.
- Automatic programming: Contemporary hearing aids can automatically adapt to new environments or times of day, depending on how you program them. This feature makes them more effective and easier to use.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “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.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Out on the boat and want to listen to some tunes? Well, your hearing aids can be connected to the boat’s stereo via Bluetooth.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will remain charged throughout the day after charging when you are sleeping at night. Essentially, you can charge your hearing aids the same way you charge your cellphone. This also makes traveling with hearing aids a lot easier.
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 up a mountain, that type of thing). Hearing aids and water-sports don’t always play nice together. But you will have a richer overall summer experience with your hearing aids.
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? 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 vary.
Some loud sounds you may want to avoid
As much as you enjoy 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 stay away from them. These are sounds that are, well, noisy! And everyone’s ears are at risk even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Live music: It’s a lot of fun to go and see a live music concert but the loud volume can be harmful to your ears. So you might want to use some caution and be picky about which concerts you attend and wear earplugs.
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so exercise some caution about proximity and duration. Try not to leave the motor idling when you’re fishing. Or, even better, put in some earplugs for the duration of your boat trip.
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Your hearing can definitely be harmed by fireworks. This goes for both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks completely.
This list is not exhaustive. Summer activities for people who have hearing loss may not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise situations.
But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to stay away from every loud summer event. So what can you do? Well, you can wear ear protection. For instance, before you go to a live show, put in a pair of earplugs so you can reduce most of the damage. But it’s important that the hearing protection you chooses is reliable.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
If you have hearing loss, the sounds of summer might feel like they’re growing further and further away (even as the heat of summer becomes more and more oppressive). Which means, a lot of the joy of the season could pass you by.
Getting the most out of your summer then, may mean making a pit stop with us. We will be able to figure out whether your hearing is failing or not, and what type of hearing aid will be best for your situation.
So begin here if you’re ready to enjoy the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are just the beginning of those awesome summer sounds.
Get your hearing tuned up this summer. Call us for a hearing test and discover if hearing aids are the right choice for you.
