Have you ever slept with the window in your bedroom open and woken up to the lovely sound of birds singing as the sun is coming up? Most people probably don’t even know that the name for those bird-songs is the “dawn chorus”. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to sing out their favorite melody. The songs of these birds, when they’re all sounding together, are a beautiful symphony.
Of course, if you have untreated hearing loss, you might not hear the dawn chorus at all. Which is a shame.
There are lots of incredible sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you might be missing. And if you find yourself missing out on the sounds of summer, it may be the result of some undiagnosed (or diagnosed and ignored) hearing loss. But you can begin to enjoy all of those wonderful summer sounds again with the help of a device like a hearing aid.
Summer sounds
You likely 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 goes along with this vision. Some sounds you may think about:
- The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
- The sound of birds chirping, particularly in the spring during, ahem, mating season. (Humans aren’t the only species to employ love songs.)
- The sound of your grandchildren playing and laughing.
- The babbling of a creek or the crashing of waves.
- The sound of frogs croaking at night, especially in the early hours of the evening.
These are just a few examples. There are a bunch of sounds happening. The feeling and vibe of summer are greatly enhanced by these sounds. Plus, there is so much happiness in these everyday summertime sounds themselves.
It’s feasible that hearing loss may have crept up on you, especially if these or any other summer sounds sound to be different to you these days. Once you’ve detected that issue, the next step is to take action.
Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer
For most, hearing aids are really about creating connections. 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 world. And at those summer barbecues, for instance, that’s even more relevant.
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:
- 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 especially convenient when filtering sounds or in a loud environment.
- Rechargeability: Your battery will stay charged throughout the day after charging while you sleep at night. It’s a lot like charging your phone. And when you travel with your hearing aids, it becomes very hassle free.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Maybe you want some tunes while you’re out on the boat. Well, your hearing aids can be synced to the boat’s stereo using Bluetooth.
- Automatic programming: You can program your modern hearing aids to automatically adjust settings depending on the time of day or environment you find yourself in. This feature makes them more reliable and easier to use.
- Smartphone compatibility: You can start to enjoy all types of features by syncing your hearing aid to your smartphone. Many phones will now enable you to download apps that help you manage the settings on your hearing aids, so you can adjust for birdsong or grandkid’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that moment.
- Noise reduction: You’ll want to have hearing aids that can differentiate specific sounds (your ears once did 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 able to dial in the sounds you want to hear.
We can help you learn how your specific hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (for example, you can ask whether you can wear them while you’re swimming or hiking up a mountain, that kind of thing). Hearing aids often don’t get along with water. But all in all, your hearing aids will make your summer an all around livelier experience.
You’ll also want to ask us some basic questions about your hearing aid models. For instance, you should ask, can hot weather affect my hearing aids? Also, does humidity have any impact on my hearing aid and how can I protect it? The answer to both questions will depend on the model of hearing aid you have.
Maybe stay away from these sounds
Some summer sounds, unlike the dawn chorus, will be harmful to your ears and you should make sure to avoid them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And they’re harmful to everyone’s ears, not just individuals who have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are some of those sounds:
- Live music: Outdoor concerts are a fun part of summer, but they can be damaging to your ears. This means you might want to be selective about which shows you see (rather than going to a festival every weekend).
- Boat engines: Be careful of how close you get and how long you spend around these engines because they’re really loud. Try not to leave the motor running when you’re fishing. Or, even better, put in some earplugs for the duration of your boat trip.
- Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Your hearing can most certainly be harmed by fireworks. Furthermore, being close to home-launched fireworks can also be harmful to your ears (and limbs). It’s best for your hearing to stay away from fireworks completely.
This list is not exhaustive. Summer fun for individuals with hearing loss may not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise conditions.
But even with hearing loss you most likely won’t want to stay away from every noisy summer event. So what’s the strategy? Well, you can wear ear protection. For instance, before you go to a concert, put in a set of earplugs so you can minimize a lot of the damage. You just need to make certain you’re using reliable ear protection.
Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds
If you are dealing with hearing loss, the sounds of summer might feel like they’re getting further and further away (even as the heat of summer gets more and more oppressive). And that means you might miss a lot of the season’s joy.
So you may need to pay us a visit if you want to make sure you get the most from your summer. We can help identify the state of your hearing and, if needed, help decide what kind of hearing aid will be the best choice for you.
So begin here if you’re ready to appreciate the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are just 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 best for you!