The Power of Hearing: How Sound Shapes Connection, Memory, and Nourishment

When was the last time you actually listened to your dinner? On this episode of Illuminating Being, my co-host Dr. Keith Somers, a pediatrician in Pittsburgh, and I explored hearing, the sense that shapes our nervous system, our memory, and our sense of safety before we ever taste a thing.

It starts before birth. Keith shared that around 26 to 28 weeks in utero, babies begin to hear the world, not just voices but rhythm, vibration, and tone. A lullaby isn't merely a comforting tune; it's neurological grounding. The sound of a caregiver's voice, even more than the words, builds calm and emotional regulation in a child. As Keith put it, we are "sentient beings, interpreting the world through the senses we're given."

We also talked about what all our noise is costing us. When the environment fills with auditory clutter, the brain starts shutting inputs down to protect itself. Intentional listening is different from hearing. And sound bypasses the thinking brain entirely and lands in the body, which is why a song, a breath, or a familiar voice can calm you mid-spiral. Silence isn't empty. It's where the body returns to balance.

The part of this conversation that sits closest to home for me: my father lives with dementia. So much of his cognitive ability has changed, and music remains. Songs from his youth, Elvis, the Beatles, still bring him visible joy. Keith explained that the auditory and memory centers of the brain sit side by side, and research shows music can ease anxiety and agitation in people with dementia. Some days a song is the whole conversation, and it's enough.

Food has a soundscape too. Garlic sizzling in olive oil, matzo cracking at a Passover table, the snap of cereal, the clink of dishes and hum of talk at dinner, even shared silence. Those sounds build anticipation, ritual, and memory.

A few practices we landed on. Step outside and name three distinct sounds. Drive in silence once this week and let your commute recalibrate you. Invite your kids to listen to the chopping and sizzling while you cook. Keith likes the Merlin app for learning the bird calls around you, and he recommended The Universal Sense: How Hearing Shapes the Mind for anyone who wants the deeper science. My own homework came from my kids: less talking, more presence. Tonight, just listen to your table. The more we pay attention to what we hear, the more connected and calm we become.