Hearing training: improve your hearing without hearing aids

Last update on Oct, 13, 2021

Can I improve my hearing without a hearing aid?

The ear works like every other organ in our body: the more we exercise it, the more in shape it will be. That's why it's beneficial to exercise it to prevent or reduce the possibility of age-related hearing loss and enhance our hearing ability without the use of hearing aids.

What is the benefit of hearing training?

By taking care of your auditory health, you can help improve your circulation and cognitive flexibility. It is vital to continuously stimulate the auditory nerve, which tends to become lazy if not stimulated properly.

Procedure: How does the hearing training work?

The ear is not the only thing that plays a role in our ability to hear sounds, the brain also plays a very important role. Every day, we can improve our brain's ability to perceive sounds by focusing the stimulus, and pinpoint and identifying its origin.

Exercises to do at home and around you

Auditory exercises should be a part your daily routine in order to help you refine your hearing and improve your general level of concentration. The important thing is to exercise your hearing regularly. Let's explore further some of the exercises recommended:

Read aloud

Your voice may sound strange at first, but this impression will disappear after some time. Listen to the sounds of your footsteps and breathing. Make soft noises on purpose, such as rustling papers, jingling keys, and so on. It may also be helpful to write down all the sounds you hear and associate an adjective to each one.

Identify sounds

Sit at home or in a natural setting, close your eyes, and make an effort to identify each sound and understand where it is coming from. By focusing on sounds in the background, such as birds chirping, the subconscious mind becomes accustomed to detecting lower, previously unperceived sounds. Although, this exercise primarily improves your mental hearing perception, its effects can be very powerful. 

Listen to music

Turn on the radio in a room and move around it, paying attention to the slight differences in the sounds you hear as you move around. Try to understand the words of the lyrics and identify the different instruments in each song, varying the volume from time to time and changing rooms.

Physical exercise

Movement does wonders for blood circulation in the inner ear: the auditory part of the inner ear, the cochlea, benefits greatly from increased blood flow, as it helps convert sound vibrations into nerve impulses.

Focus on vocalization

Ask someone to read aloud to you as they move around a room. Close your eyes and as you listen intently, have them repeat the sentences to you loudly and try to figure out the origin of the words.

Other tips on how to improve your hearing

There are a range of activities or tips to exercise our mind and our hearing ability, such as:

  • playing cards,
  • logic exercises,
  • meditation,
  • yoga.

There are also several foods that contain substances with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial power to further enhance our functions, such as mint, garlic, turmeric, ginger.

When do I need a hearing aid?

Exercising your hearing ability is a very useful preventive and protective measure. However, it is not a remedy in the occurrence of an existing hearing condition. In the case of permanent hearing impairment, listening exercises are not enough treatment and it is good to consult a specialist to get advice on the most suitable hearing aid.

Is there also training for hearing aid users?

For individuals who use hearing aids, there is auditory training to help them not only hear, but also understand better. If the auditory nerves receive fewer and fewer impulses over an extended period of time, they will gradually deteriorate. In these cases, exercises to stimulate our hearing ability can be very helpful.

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