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 the name for those bird-songs is the “dawn chorus”. For whatever reason, birds see the sun rising and decide to start singing their favorite songs. Each type of bird has its own kind of song, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
But you may not notice the “dawn chorus” at all if you have neglected hearing loss. And that’s unfortunate.
That’s especially true because it’s not just birdsong you might be missing out on. Summer is full of awesome sounds. And you might be missing those summer sounds because you have hearing loss that’s gone undiagnosed or simply neglected. 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 imagining 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 begin adding details that make this blue sky feel more like summer, the sounds that fill in the day. You might be thinking about:
- The sound of your grandkids playing and laughing.
- The symphony of frogs croaking at night, especially in the early hours of the evening.
- The sound of birds chirping, particularly in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs are not just appreciated by humans.)
- The babbling of a creek or the crashing of waves.
- 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 texture, and help establish that overall vibe. And these sounds by themselves bring great joy.
If these summer sounds (or any sounds of summer) seem different to you these days, it’s most likely because a noticeable level of hearing loss has successfully crept up on you. Once you’ve detected that problem, the next step is to do something about it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
Building connections is what hearing aids are really about for most. Communication is key. They make it easier to converse with others, to hear what’s happening around you, and to appreciate the sounds that you hear. And that’s particularly important at those summer barbecues, for instance.
Modern hearing aids have some incredible technology that will help you savor those summer sounds. For example, most modern hearing aids offer:
- Machine learning: Fancy algorithms (called machine learning) can help your hearing aids adjust to what you need, even before you need it. In loud environments or when eliminating particular sounds, this can be especially convenient.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to get hearing aids that can sort through particular sounds (your ears used to do 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 capable of dialing in the sounds you want to hear.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can begin to enjoy all types of features by connecting your hearing aid to your cellphone. Many phones will now allow you to download apps that help you control the settings on your hearing aids, so you can fine-tune for birdsong or grandkid’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that moment.
- Automatic programming: You can program your modern hearing aids to automatically switch settings depending on the time of day or environment you find yourself in. This function makes them more reliable and simpler to use.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Maybe you want some music playing while you’re out boating. Just sync the boat’s radio to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while sleeping and get full batteries throughout the day. It’s much like charging your phone. And when you travel with your hearing aids, it becomes very hassle free.
You can ask us about how your set of hearing aids are suited to your favorite activities (you can ask us if you can bring your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for instance). Hearing aids and water-sports don’t always get along. But as a whole, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around livelier experience.
Also, asking us basic questions about your hearing aid model will be a good plan. Will your hearing aids have a problem with hot weather, for instance? And you should also ask, how can I protect my hearing aids from humidity? The answer to both will depend on the model of hearing aid you use.
Some loud sounds you may want to avoid
As much as you love 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 noisy sounds are a real hazard! And everyone’s ears are at risk even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few of those sounds:
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so use some caution about proximity and exposure time. Try not to keep the motor running when you’re fishing. Or, an even better plan would be to put in some earplugs.
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Attending fireworks shows can certainly harm your ears. This goes for both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to stay away from fireworks completely.
- Live music: It’s great fun to attend a live music concert but the loud volume can be damaging to your ears. This means you might want to be selective about which shows you see (rather than attending a festival every weekend).
This is only a partial list. For people who are coping with hearing loss, summer might 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 during the summer. So what can you do? Well, you can use ear protection. For instance, before you go to a concert, put in a set of earplugs so you can decrease most of the damage. But it’s important that the hearing protection you chooses is reliable.
Appreciate the sounds of summer
As the heat of summer gets more oppressive, if you have hearing loss, the summer sounds might feel like they’re getting further away. And that means you might miss a lot of the season’s joy.
Getting the most from your summer then, may require coming to see us. We will be able to figure out whether your hearing is failing or not, and what type of hearing aid will best suit your needs.
So if you want to appreciate the dawn chorus, that’s where you should begin. And you’ll also be able to enjoy all of the other awesome summer sounds.
Get your hearing tuned up this summer. Make an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are best for you!