If you are/become very sensitive for sounds what could be the reason/cause?

Question

If you get disturbed at night by tiny sounds or find it difficult to hear loud sounds at day is there a particulary cause known for that in buddhism. Is it bad and what to do about it?

Answer 1

Sensitivity could just mean your senses are being noticed. Something that you once ignored is now being noticed because your living in the present moment. You're aware of things which you didn't notice before. It may seem louder than usual because your mind is no longer being occupied by something else. Another explanation could be sensory adaptation to a new environment. It's not uncommon for practitioners who return from retreats to be more sensitive to their environment. Their ears have adapted to the silent lifestyle but eventually adapt to usual city noise over time.

Answer 2

If you have too much sensitivity to sound it means Air element is disturbed. It also results in insomnia. Your body is a five element phenomenon. Buddha never paid any attention to them because they are supposed to be taken care of by right living and meditation techniques.

But modern man is a highly disturbed creature with a toxic body. I suggest if meditation techniques are not working try detox techniques which some monks practice like eating light or limiting to two times in a day. It is important you take care of nutrition and calories otherwise it will be counter productive. If they do not work visit a herbal medicine practitioner. Try Ayurveda or Traditional Chinese Medicine. They are very effective in fixing imbalances especially for meditators.

Answer 3

To hear you need:

• have a functional ear faculty
• a sound to hear
• direct your consciousness to the ear faculty

Assuming you ear is in good condition as you hear well in night. Since you are sensitive at night, and not at day, when things are quiet, is that you are more composed or focused with you attention at the ear to hearing than in day time. During the perhaps with other activities you are also distracted hence attention is not fulling on the sounds you hear.