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Ryan Holden, H.A.D.
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Jan 14, 2026
Part 4 of the “Better Hearing in Background Noise” Series
When it comes to hearing better in noisy places, your ears are only half the story. The other half happens inside your brain.
Your brain is what actually makes sense of sound — separating speech from background noise, filling in missing pieces, and focusing on the conversation you care about. When hearing loss goes untreated, those pathways can weaken over time. The good news is that, just like physical fitness, your listening skills can be trained and improved.
This process is called auditory training, and it’s one of the most underused tools in hearing care.
Why Training Your Brain Matters
Even with great hearing aids, your brain still has to sort through competing sounds — dishes clinking, music playing, people talking over each other. That’s why hearing in noise often feels harder than hearing one-on-one.
The tricky part is that many of the sounds that carry speech clarity — those crisp, high-frequency consonants like “s,” “t,” “f,” and “k” — are also the ones most easily buried by low-frequency noise.
It’s the same reason you can hear a car with a loud stereo from down the street — the deep bass carries far, while the melody (the high notes) disappears until the car passes right by you. Hearing aids can restore those high sounds, but your brain still needs to relearn how to focus on them.
That’s where auditory training comes in.
What Is Auditory Training?
Auditory training is essentially a workout for your brain’s listening system. It helps retrain how your brain processes and prioritizes sound.
Exercises typically focus on skills like:
Understanding speech in background noise
Following fast or accented speech
Distinguishing between similar sounds
Remembering what was just said (auditory memory)
There are several ways to do this — from structured software programs to simple at-home exercises.
At-Home Listening Exercises
If you want to start improving your listening stamina, you can try a few easy methods at home:
Read along with audiobooks. Listening while following the text strengthens your ability to match sound and meaning.
Listen to talk radio or podcasts with mild background noise. This trains your brain to stay focused on speech even when other sounds are present.
Practice group listening. Spend time in small gatherings or restaurants where you can challenge yourself gently — not overwhelm yourself, just practice.
The key is consistency. Like any training, a little bit every day goes further than occasional bursts.
Software-Based Auditory Training (Including LACE)
For those who prefer structure, there are computer-based programs that guide you through evidence-based listening exercises.
One example is LACE (Listening and Communication Enhancement), developed at the University of California, San Francisco. It uses adaptive training — meaning it gets a little more challenging as you improve — to help your brain process speech more efficiently in noise.
In studies, people who completed the four-week program showed measurable improvements on speech-in-noise tests like the QuickSIN and reported less effort when listening. Some clinics also noted fewer hearing aid returns among patients who used it, suggesting they felt more satisfied and confident in their hearing performance.
That doesn’t mean software is the only solution — but it’s a convenient, research-backed option for those who want a guided approach. Many of my patients enjoy using it at home because they can work at their own pace and see their progress as they go.
Combining Technology and Training
Think of hearing aids as the “hardware” and auditory training as the “software.” Hearing aids deliver sound to your ears; auditory training helps your brain make sense of it.
When we combine the two — well-fitted hearing aids (verified with Real Ear Measurements) and consistent brain training — patients often notice that conversations feel smoother and less mentally draining.
Some manufacturers even offer built-in listening exercises or app-based training tools that can complement formal programs like LACE.
How Long Does It Take to Notice Improvement?
Everyone’s pace is different, but most people who practice regularly begin to notice changes within a few weeks. The improvements might be subtle at first — following conversations more easily, catching more words at restaurants, or feeling less exhausted after social events — but over time, those small gains add up.
It’s like physical therapy for your hearing system: steady progress, not overnight transformation.
A Practical Part of Hearing Care
Auditory training doesn’t replace good hearing aid technology — it enhances it. That’s why I encourage patients who struggle in noise to think of training as part of their long-term hearing health plan, not an optional extra.
For some, that means using a structured program like LACE AI at home. For others, it’s about practicing real-world listening skills every day. Either way, training your brain to listen more efficiently can make noisy environments feel far less intimidating.
The Bottom Line
Hearing better in noise isn’t just about louder sound — it’s about smarter listening. By pairing modern hearing aids with brain training, you can improve both clarity and confidence in almost any environment.
In the next article, Part 5, we’ll look at practical communication strategies — the small everyday adjustments that make conversations easier and more natural, whether you’re using hearing aids, assistive devices, or both.
If you’d like to explore auditory training options or learn how programs like LACE AI fit into your hearing care plan, you’re welcome to reach out. Sometimes the biggest improvement comes not from turning up the volume, but from helping your brain tune in.
