Have you ever slept with your bedroom window open and awoke to the lovely sound of birds singing as the sun is coming up? 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 best melody. The songs of these birds, when they’re all sounding together, are a lovely symphony.
Of course, if you have untreated hearing loss, you might not notice the dawn chorus at all. And that’s sad.
That’s particularly true because it isn’t just birdsong you may be missing out on. Summer is full of incredible sounds. And you might be missing those summer sounds because you have hearing loss that’s gone undiagnosed or simply neglected. But you can begin to enjoy all of those amazing summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
The sounds of summer
You probably think of a very 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 might be thinking about:
- The crashing of waves on the beach (or a babbling brook if you’re in a more inland area).
- The sound of birds singing out mating songs. (Love songs are not just enjoyed by humans.)
- Something as basic as your grandkids laughing, maybe as they run about the yard or as you watch a baseball game together.
- The symphony of frogs croaking at night, especially in the early hours of the evening.
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping the landscape bloom.
These are just a few examples. There are lots of sounds going on. The feeling and vibe of summer are significantly enhanced by these sounds. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great joy.
If these summer sounds (or any summer sounds) seem foreign to you these days, it’s most likely because a noticeable amount of hearing loss has successfully snuck up on you. If you have noticed your hearing loss then you need to get something done about it.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
For most, hearing aids are really about strengthening relationships. They’re about communication. You’ll be more mindful of what’s happening around you, better able to communicate with those around you, and enjoy the sounds in your life. And that’s especially important at those summer barbecues, for instance.
Modern hearing aids have some fantastic technology that will help you savor those summer sounds. For example, most contemporary hearing aids offer:
- 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 (just like your ears used to do). Modern hearing aids have considerable noise reduction features, so you can hear what you really want to hear.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged throughout the day after charging while you sleep at night. Basically, you can charge your hearing aids in the same way you charge your cellphone. This also makes traveling with hearing aids much easier.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can start to enjoy all kinds of features by syncing your hearing aid to your cellphone. Many cell phones will now permit 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: Maybe you want some music playing while you’re out on the boat. Just sync the boat’s radio to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.
- 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 feature makes them more effective and simpler to use.
- Machine learning: Your hearing aid can utilize “machine learning”, which are advanced intelligent algorithms, to adjust to your audio landscape before you even knew it needed to. This is particularly handy when filtering sounds or in a noisy setting.
You can ask us about how your set of hearing aids are appropriate for your favorite activities (for instance, you can ask whether you can wear them while you’re going for a swim or hiking in the country, that sort of thing). 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 good idea. Will your hearing aids have an issue with hot weather, for instance? 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 use.
Maybe stay away from these sounds
As much as you enjoy 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 avoid them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And everyone’s ears are vulnerable even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few of those sounds:
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Attending fireworks shows can undoubtedly harm your hearing. This goes for both commercial and home launched fireworks. Best to simply avoid fireworks completely.
- Boat engines: These engines are loud, so exercise some caution about proximity and duration. When you’re fishing, turn the engine off. Or, better yet, pop in some earplugs for the entirety of your boat trip.
- Live music: It’s great 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 selective about which concerts you attend and use earplugs.
This list isn’t exhaustive. Summer fun for individuals who have hearing loss might not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise conditions.
Having said that, you may not be able to, or even want to, stay away from all loud noises over the summer. So what can you do? Well, you can wear ear protection. For example, before you go to a live show, put in a pair of earplugs so you can decrease 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 becomes more oppressive, if you have hearing loss, the summer sounds may seem like they’re getting further away. And that means you might miss a lot of the season’s joy.
So you might need to pay us a visit 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 failing or not, and what type of hearing aid will best suit your needs.
So if you want to enjoy the dawn chorus, that’s where you should start. Because birdsongs are only the beginning of those incredible summer sounds.
Get the most out of your ears this summer and beyond. Schedule an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are right for you!
