National Repeat Day: are your ears ready to celebrate?

Just in case you don’t want to wait until Father’s Day to celebrate something this month, here’s an observance to consider. National Repeat Day is celebrated every year on June 3 and though no one seems to know the origins (or reasoning) behind the event, think of it as permission to do some favorite things more than once. Like what, you ask? Here are a few suggestions.

Play like a kid again

Before online gaming was all the rage, kids entertained themselves for hours playing tag, hide-and-go-seek, and…the telephone game. Today is the perfect time to dust off this pastime -- you can play it anywhere without any special props and it’s a fun way to illustrate how easy it is to be misunderstood.

Do you remember how to play?

• Sit in a circle or stand in a straight line, close enough to whisper in another person’s ear but not so close that you can hear when they whisper to another.
• Designate someone to begin play, either because they are first in line or volunteer to go first in the circle. Ask them to think of a phrase and whisper it just once to the person on their right.
• The game continues with each person whispering the same phrase (just once) until it reaches the last person in line.
• The last person says the word or phrase out loud -- which is usually a far cry from what was initially whispered at the beginning of the game. And laughter ensues.

Hearing how your original phrase gets altered during a silly round of the Telephone Game with your kiddos can be knee-slapping fun-- but not so funny if untreated hearing loss leaves you struggling to communicate on a daily basis.

Hearing loss can be sneaky. One day you’re effectively participating in the conversation and (seemingly) the next you’re asking friends, family and co-workers to repeat themselves constantly. If this is happening to you, it’s time to schedule a hearing evaluation. You may have sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), a common type of hearing loss caused by a lifelong exposure to environmental and occupational noise or the aging process. There is no cure; however, your hearing healthcare professional may determine that you’re a good candidate for hearing aids. These medical marvels have come a long way since your parents and grandparents wore them. Some fit so discreetly inside your ear canal, they’re virtually invisible. Others fit securely behind your ear. Depending upon the severity of your hearing loss and your lifestyle preferences, your hearing healthcare professional can help you find which style works best for you.

Watch your favorite movie twice

If you have a favorite movie you never tire of watching, it’s perfectly permissible to watch it twice today. Here’s a thought. Watch it once all the way through like you usually do but before you watch it again, search the internet for reports of any idiosyncracies which may have occurred during filming. As you watch it a second time, see how many you can spot.

Can’t choose? Here are a few suggestions, based on the theme of the day:

• Groundhog Day, the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray as a cynical TV weatherman who finds himself reliving the same day over and over.
• The Parent Trap (1961), starring Hayley Mills (yes, we prefer the original version) as teenage twin sisters who conspire to reunite their divorced parents.
• Back to the Future (1985), starring Michael J Fox as Marty McFly, a teenager who is thrown back into the 1950s during a science experiment gone wrong and encounters young versions of his parents.

A quiet afternoon at home watching movies may not be fun if others in your household complain that you turn the volume up too high on the television or you’re struggling to understand the dialogue when you go to the movies. Those are both warning signs of hearing loss and an indication it’s time to get your hearing evaluated. If you’re a candidate, new hearing aid technology allows you to stream sound directly into your devices, effectively diminishing background noise and creating a comfortable listening environment for everyone in the room.

Go see a double header

Why do hot dogs taste so much better at the ballpark? We can’t answer that question, but celebrating National Repeat Day might be all the reason you need to take in a double header, eat a hot dog or two and see if you can answer that question for yourself.

If you do venture out to a sporting or music venue, please take hearing protection -- even if it’s just those inexpensive foam earplugs you find at the local drugstore. That ringing you hear in your ears after a day amidst cheering fans and booming rally music isn’t healthy, it’s actually hearing damage. While most hearing returns to normal after a night with friends in a noisy environment, too much exposure to loud noise can lead to permanent hearing loss. Take precautions to guard against noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) now and if you’re experiencing a constant ringing in your ears, make an appointment to see your hearing healthcare professional. Tinnitus, the perception of ringing in your ears when no sound is present, may be a sign you are developing hearing loss.

At the risk of repeating ourselves…

No doubt you’ve gotten our (not-so-subtle) message about hearing health even though we tied it into a fun occasion like National Repeat Day. Don’t misunderstand. Hearing loss is a serious problem. More than 48 million Americans are diagnosed with it each year. Left untreated, it can put you at risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's Disease, increase your risk for developing depression and social anxiety, and more than triples your risk of developing balance issues as you age. And, to your loved ones who want you to hear them the first time, your hearing loss can make every day feel like National Repeat Day for them! 

So at the risk of repeating ourselves, make an appointment with your hearing healthcare professional at your earliest convenience. Working together, you can find the right hearing device that fits your budget and lifestyle. Soon, no matter the observance, you’ll be hearing all the whispers, laughter, dialogue, musical refrains and sounds the world has to offer -- again and again and again.