Have you ever slept with your bedroom window open and awoke to the wonderful 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 belt out their favorite melody. Each type of bird has its own set of chirps and notes, and together, they sound like a symphony of nature.
But you might not notice the “dawn chorus” at all if you have untreated hearing loss. And that’s sad.
That’s especially true because it isn’t just birdsong you may be missing out on. Summer is full of awesome sounds. And if you find yourself oblivious to the sounds of summer, it could be due to some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and dismissed) hearing loss. The good news in these instances is that a device like a hearing aid could help you appreciate and enjoy your summer days more fully.
Summer sounds
You most likely think of a really hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think about summer. But if you stay in your imagination a little longer, you’ll start incorporating highlights that make this blue sky seem more like summer, the sounds that fill in the day. You may be thinking about:
- Bees buzzing about helping nature bloom by pollinating flowers.
- The sound of frogs croaking at night, especially in the early hours of the evening.
- The babbling of a brook or the crashing of waves.
- The sound of birds singing, particularly in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs aren’t just enjoyed by humans.)
- Something as simple as your grandchildren laughing, possibly as they run about the yard or as you watch a baseball game with each other.
You get the point. There are a bunch of sounds going on. The feeling and vibe of summer are considerably enhanced by these sounds. Plus, there is so much joy in these simple sounds themselves.
If these sounds of summer (or any sounds of summer) seem different to you these days, it’s probably because an apparent amount of hearing loss has effectively 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 relationships is what hearing aids are really all about for most. Communication is key. You’ll be more aware of what’s taking place around you, better able to communicate with those around you, and enjoy the sounds in your world. And that’s particularly significant at those summer barbecues, for instance.
The latest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they are equipped with some pretty amazing built in tech, as well. Here are some instances of some of that potent technology:
- Smartphone compatibility: You can begin to appreciate all kinds of features by syncing your hearing aid to your cellphone. Many cell phones will now enable you to download apps that help you manage the settings on your hearing aids, so you can fine-tune for birdsong or grandchildren’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that moment.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Perhaps you want some tunes 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 enjoy full batteries all through the day. Essentially, you can charge your hearing aids in the same way you charge your cellphone. And when you vacation with your hearing aids, it becomes really stress free.
- Automatic programming: You can dial in your modern hearing aids to automatically change settings depending on the time of day or setting you find yourself in. This function makes them more effective and simpler to use.
- 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 once did). Modern hearing aids have substantial noise reduction features, so you can hear what you actually want to hear.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are advanced intelligent algorithms, to adjust to your audio landscape before you even recognized it needed to. This is particularly handy when filtering sounds or in a noisy setting.
We can help you discover how your particular hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (you can ask us whether you can bring your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for instance). Hearing aids frequently don’t play well with water. But you will have a richer overall summer experience with your hearing aids.
Also, asking us basic questions about your hearing aid model will be a practical idea. For example, you should ask, can hot weather impact my hearing aids? And you should also ask, how do I safeguard my hearing aids from humidity? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will differ.
Some loud sounds you may want to avoid
As much as you love 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 loud sounds are a real hazard! And they’re harmful to everyone’s ears, not just individuals with pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few 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 damaging to your ears (and limbs). Best to simply stay away from fireworks completely.
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a great part of summer, but they can be damaging to your hearing. So you may want to use some caution and be picky about which shows you attend and wear earplugs.
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so use some caution about proximity and exposure time. Try not to leave the motor idling when you’re fishing. Or, even better, pop in some earplugs for the duration of your boat trip.
This list is not exhaustive. For people who are dealing with hearing loss, summer may have a few less of these loud events.
But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to stay away from every noisy summer event. So what can you do? Well, you can wear ear protection. Popping in a pair of earplugs before you see any live music show can minimize much of the damage, for instance. You just need to make sure you’re using reliable 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 becomes 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, might require coming to see us. We can help figure out the state of your hearing and, if needed, help determine what kind of hearing loss will best suit your needs.
So start here if you’re ready to appreciate the dawn chorus. 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 right for you!