Have you ever awoke after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a beautiful song through your open window? Turns out, there’s a name for all those birdsongs: the dawn chorus. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to sing out their favorite melody. Each species has its own set of chirps and notes, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
But you might not hear the “dawn chorus” at all if you have neglected hearing loss. And that’s sad.
There are a lot of amazing sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you might be missing. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it might be the result of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and ignored) hearing loss. The good news in these cases is that a device like a hearing aid could help you appreciate and enjoy your summer days more fully.
The sounds of summer
When you think about summer, you likely begin by 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 start adding details that make this blue sky feel more like summer, the sounds that fill in the day. You might be thinking about:
- The symphony of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the evening.
- Something as simple as your grandchildren laughing, perhaps as they run around the yard or as you watch a baseball game together.
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
- The sound of birds singing out mating songs. (Humans aren’t the only species to use love songs.)
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling creek if you’re in a more inland area).
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. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great happiness.
It’s feasible that hearing loss might have snuck up on you, especially if these or any other summer sounds seem to be foreign to you these days. If you have detected your hearing loss then you need to get some help with it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
For most individuals, hearing aids are really about strengthening relationships. 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 particularly 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 instances of some of that potent technology:
- 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 reliable and simpler to use.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Boating on the lake and want to enjoy some tracks? Well, your hearing aids can be synced to the boat’s stereo using Bluetooth.
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while you sleep and enjoy full batteries all through the day. Basically, you can charge your hearing aids in the same way you charge your cellphone. This also makes traveling with hearing aids a lot easier.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can connect your hearing aids to your smartphone and start enjoying all sorts of features. Many cell phones will now enable 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.
- Noise reduction: If you want to hear the crashing of the waves, but not the thunder of traffic behind you, you’ll want hearing aids that can help you sort out these sounds (in the same way your ears used to do). Modern hearing aids have considerable noise reduction features, so you can hear what you actually want to hear.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are sophisticated intelligent algorithms, to adapt to your audio landscape before you even recognized it needed to. This is particularly convenient when filtering sounds or in a loud setting.
You can ask us about how your set of hearing aids are suitable for your favorite adventures (you can ask us whether you can take your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for example). Hearing aids usually don’t get along with water. But all in all, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around richer 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 safeguard my hearing aids from moisture in the air? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will differ.
Some loud sounds you may want to steer clear of
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your ears and you should make sure 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. Some of those sounds include:
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Attending fireworks shows can certainly harm your ears. Similarly, being near home-launched fireworks can also be harmful to your ears (and limbs). It’s best for your hearing to keep away from fireworks entirely.
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a big part of summer, but they can be damaging to your ears. So you may want to use some caution and be picky about which shows you attend and use earplugs.
- Boat engines: Be cautious of how close you get and how long you spend around these engines because they’re really loud. Try not to keep the motor running when you’re fishing. Or, an even better idea would be to put in some earplugs.
This list is not exhaustive. Summer activities for individuals who have hearing loss might not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise situations.
Having said that, you might not be able to, or even want to, stay away from all loud noises over the summer. So what can you do? Wearing ear protection is the best solution. Popping in a pair of earplugs before you see any live music show can mitigate much of the damage, for example. You just need to make certain you’re using reliable ear protection.
Enjoy the sounds of summer
If you have hearing loss, the sounds of summer could feel like they’re getting 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 get lost.
So you might need to pay us a visit if you want to be certain that 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 best suit your needs.
So start 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.