You’re planning a really active summer. You’re definitely going to go to the beach and maybe go for a swim. You’ll take in some live entertainment, you’ll get lots of exercise jogging or maybe playing some tennis, then it’s time to hit the grill. Your schedule will be quite full. So it’s important that your hearing aids are prepared.
Summer activities such as these can be tough on your hearing aids, but these little helpful devices can be protected without it slowing your summer fun.
Summertime hearing aid difficulties
With hearing aids, every season will come with unique obstacles. In the summer, most of those challenges are weather and climate related.
Summer-related obstacles may include:
- Moisture: Whether it’s from swimming, humidity, rain, or just sweat, moisture is nearly always present in the summer. That’s problematic because moisture can be a huge issue for hearing aids.
- Dirt and debris: You’re active during the summer. But sand inside of your hearing aid, such as beach sand, can result in issues.
- Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s strong enough. Depending on the environment, powerful winds can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aid.
In general, it’s pretty obvious why these problems are more prevalent in the summer months: you tend to be outdoors more often. And you’re more likely to encounter a sudden rain storm or a powerful wind when you’re outside so often.
Keeping your hearing aids at optimum performance through the summer
Your hearing aids are made to improve your quality of life, to make it possible for you to do more. Most people who wear hearing aids will want to use them as much as they can, particularly through the summer. This means taking a few extra steps to take care of the technology and make sure your hearing aids continue working.
Keeping your hearing aids dry
We’ve established that moisture is the enemy of a well-functioning hearing aid (the more advanced the electronics, the worse water is). Protect against moisture with these tips:
- Air dry your hearing aids while you sleep by opening the battery door. This will help counter damage from corrosion of the battery.
- Don’t wear your hearing aids in the water. Beach day? Nice! Just remove your hearing aids first. Naturally, this is common sense. So lingering moisture in your ears after you get out of the water is the real issue. That’s why you should consider using a swim cap and earplugs when you go in the water. This can help keep your ears (and thus your hearing aids) nice and dry.
- Thoroughly dry your ears. Drying your ears totally will help prevent the unintentional transference of moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Wear a sweatband when you’re exercising. This will help keep moisture out of your ears (and away from your hearing aids).
- Have a microfiber towel handy. That way, you can dry out your hearing aids all through the day. In this way, you can avoid the build-up of wetness.
Regularly clean your hearing aids
Heat and moisture can both fuel the growth of bacteria. So you should also do a few things to ensure your hearing aids are staying clean during the summer months. You can do the following:
- Disinfect your hearing aids on a regular basis. You can do this with specially made antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
- Store your hearing aids in a cool and dry spot. That’s because hearing aids (as a general rule) don’t like exposure to direct sunlight and heat. So keep them off of your dashboard on hot days. Alternatively, when you’re not wearing them, store your hearing aids in a dry, cool place.
- Don’t let debris accumulate over time. As you’re sanitizing your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clear away any debris that might have accumulated. Eventually, it’s most likely also a good plan to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
Stay active, stay happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids will be there for you for a lifetime and they will improve your summer months especially. You can keep your hearing aids dry and in good working order whether you’re hiking, swimming, or just taking an evening stroll around your neighborhood.
