Have you ever awoke after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a delightful song through your open window? 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. The songs of these birds, when they’re all singing together, are a beautiful symphony.
But you may not hear the “dawn chorus” at all if you have neglected hearing loss. Which is a shame.
There are lots of amazing sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you could be missing. And if you find yourself missing out on the sounds of summer, it could be the result of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and ignored) hearing loss. The good news in these instances is that a device like a hearing aid could help you appreciate and more fully enjoy your summer.
The sounds of summer
You likely think of a very hot sun in a clear blue sky when you think of summer. And then you start to imagine the summer soundtrack that goes along with this vision. You might be thinking about:
- The babbling of a stream or the crashing of waves.
- Something as basic as your grandkids laughing, perhaps as they run about the yard or as you catch a baseball game with each other.
- Peepers and crickets chirping a symphony as the sun goes down.
- The sound of birds chirping, especially in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Love songs aren’t just appreciated by humans.)
- Bees buzzing around helping nature bloom by pollinating flowers.
These are just a few examples. There are lots of sounds happening. The experience and vibe of summer are greatly enhanced by these sounds. Plus, there is so much pleasure in these simple sounds themselves.
If these sounds of summer (or any summer sounds) seem different to you these days, it’s likely because an apparent level of hearing loss has effectively crept up on you. If you have noticed your hearing loss then you should get something done about it.
Your summer can be more enjoyable with hearing aids
Building relationships is what hearing aids are really all about for most. They’re about communication. You’ll be more aware of what’s taking place around you, better able to communicate with those around you, and appreciate the sounds in your life. And at those summer barbecues, for example, that’s even more important.
Modern hearing aids have some amazing technology that will help you bask in those summer sounds. For instance, most modern hearing aids offer:
- Automatic programming: Modern hearing aids can automatically adapt to new surroundings or times of day, depending on how you program them. This feature makes them more reliable and easier to use.
- Rechargeability: You can recharge your hearing aid while you sleep 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.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Boating on the lake and want to listen to some tracks? Just sync the boat’s radio to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.
- Machine learning: Cutting-edge algorithms (called machine learning) can help your hearing aids adjust to what you need, even before you know you need it. This is particularly convenient when filtering sounds or in a loud environment.
- Noise reduction: If you want to hear the sound of crashing waves, but not the roar 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.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can begin to appreciate all kinds of features by connecting your hearing aid to your smartphone. Depending on the specific hearing situation, you will be able to manage the settings on your hearing aids using an app you can download on most smartphones.
You can ask us about how your pair of hearing aids are suitable for your favorite activities (you can ask us whether you can bring your hearing aids into the water or on a mountain hike for instance). Hearing aids often don’t get along with water. But as a whole, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around richer experience.
You’ll also want to ask us some standard questions about your hearing aid models. Will your hearing aids have an issue with hot weather, for example? Also, does humidity have any impact on my hearing aid and how can I protect it? Depending on the model of hearing aid, the answer to these questions will vary.
Perhaps avoid these sounds
As much as you enjoy 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 steer clear of them. These are sounds that are, well, loud! And everyone’s ears are at risk even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Some of those sounds include:
- Boat engines: Be cautious of how close you get and how long you spend around these engines because they’re really loud. When you’re fishing, turn the engine off. Or, an even better plan would be to put in some earplugs.
- Fireworks: The dogs are on to something. Your hearing can definitely be damaged by fireworks. This goes for both commercial and home launched fireworks. It’s best for your hearing to stay away from fireworks entirely.
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a fun part of summer, but they can be harmful 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 dealing with hearing loss, summer might have a few less of these loud events.
But even with hearing loss you most likely won’t want to avoid every noisy summer event. So what’s the solution? Well, you can use ear protection. Popping in a set of earplugs before you see any live music show can mitigate a lot of the damage, for example. You just need to make sure you’re using effective ear protection.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
If you have hearing loss, the sounds of summer could feel like they’re growing further and further away (even as the heat of summer gets more and more oppressive). Which means, much of the joy of the season could pass you by.
Getting the most from your summer then, may mean coming to see us. We will be able to determine whether your hearing is failing or not, and what kind of hearing aid will be best for your situation.
So if you want to enjoy the dawn chorus, that’s where you should start. Because birdsongs are only the beginning of those amazing summer sounds.
Get the most out of your ears this summer and beyond. Call us for a hearing assessment and find out if hearing aids are the right choice for you.
