Have you ever slept with the window in your bedroom open and awoke to the lovely 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 coming up and choose to start belting out their favorite songs. 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. Which is a pity.
That’s especially true because it isn’t just birdsong you may be missing out on. Summer is full of incredible sounds. And if you find yourself missing out on the sounds of summer, it may be because of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and dismissed) hearing loss. The good news in these instances is that a device like a hearing aid may help you appreciate and more fully enjoy your summer.
The sounds of summer
You most likely think of a really hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think of summer. And then you begin to imagine the summer soundtrack that comes with this vision. You may be thinking about:
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling brook if you’re in a more inland area).
- Bees buzzing about helping nature bloom by pollinating flowers.
- The sound of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the evening.
- The sound of your grandkids playing and laughing.
- The sound of birds chirping, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Humans aren’t the only species to employ love songs.)
These are just a few examples. There are a bunch of sounds happening. These are the sounds that fill in your summer, give it texture, and help create that overall vibe. Plus, there is so much pleasure in these everyday summertime sounds themselves.
It’s feasible that hearing loss may have crept up on you, particularly if these or any other summer sounds seem to be different to you these days. Once you’ve detected that problem, the next step is to do something about it.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
Building relationships is what hearing aids are really about for most. They’re about communication. You’ll be more aware of what’s happening around you, better able to communicate with people around you, and enjoy the sounds in your world. And at those summer cook-outs, for instance, that’s even more relevant.
The newest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they come with some rather amazing built in tech, too. Here are some examples of some of that powerful technology:
- Smartphone compatibility: You can sync your hearing aids to your cellphone and start enjoying all kinds of features. Many cell phones will now allow you to download apps that help you control the settings on your hearing aids, so you can adjust for birdsong or grandchildren’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that moment.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will remain charged all day after charging when you are sleeping at night. Basically, you can charge your hearing aids the same way you charge your cellphone. This also makes vacationing with hearing aids much easier.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Boating on the lake and want to listen to some tracks? Just connect the boat’s radio to your hearing aids using Bluetooth.
- Automatic programming: Contemporary hearing aids can automatically adjust to new environments or times of day, depending on how they’re programmed. This function makes them more effective and easier to use.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are advanced intelligent algorithms, to adapt to your audio landscape before you even knew it needed to. This is particularly handy when filtering sounds or in a loud setting.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to have hearing aids that can sort through specific sounds (your ears used to do this) so you can appreciate those crashing waves without having the traffic behind you amplified as well. Noise reduction features are common in modern hearing aids so you will be able to dial in the sounds you want to hear.
You can ask us about how your pair of hearing aids are suited to your favorite adventures (you can ask us if you can take your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for instance). Hearing aids often don’t get along with water. But you will have a deeper overall summer experience with your hearing aids.
Also, asking us basic questions about your hearing aid model will be a practical plan. For example, you should ask, can hot weather impact my hearing aids? Also, does humidity have any effect on my hearing aid and how can I safeguard it? The answer to both questions will depend on the model of hearing aid you have.
Some loud sounds you may want to steer clear of
As much as you love the sound of the dawn chorus, there are a few other summer sounds that could actually be damaging to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to steer clear of them. These are sounds that are, well, noisy! And everybody’s ears are vulnerable even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are some of those sounds:
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Your hearing can most certainly be damaged by fireworks. Likewise, being close to home-launched fireworks can also be harmful to your hearing (and limbs). It’s best for your hearing to stay away from fireworks entirely.
- 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 running when you’re fishing. Or, an even better plan would be to put in some earplugs.
- Live music: It’s a lot of fun to attend a live music concert but the loud volume can be harmful to your hearing. So you might want to exercise some caution and be selective about which concerts you attend and use earplugs.
This list isn’t exhaustive. For people who are coping with hearing loss, summer may have a few less of these noisy events.
Having said that, you might not be capable of, or even want to, avoid all loud noises over the summer. So what can you do? Wearing ear protection is the best solution. For instance, before you go to a concert, put in a pair of earplugs so you can reduce a lot of the damage. You just need to make certain you’re using effective ear protection.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
As the heat of summer gets more oppressive, if you have hearing loss, the summer sounds may feel like they’re getting further away. Which means, a lot of the joy of the season could get lost.
So you may need to come in and see us if you want to make sure you get the most out of your summer. We will be able to figure out whether your hearing is waning or not, and what kind of hearing aid will be best for your situation.
So begin here if you’re ready to appreciate the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are only the beginning of those amazing summer sounds.
Get the most out of your ears this summer and beyond. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are best for you!