Possible for a normal person to hone their senses?

Factual Questions
1

Is it possible, with practice, to hone certain senses? For example, if I listened to TV, computer games, radio, etc. at lower volumes than usual, would I eventually adjust and be able to hear them better than before (gradually, over x length of time)? Or is the sense of hearing static and once you lose part of it, it’s gone forever?

I’m somewhat curious about hearing in particular since there is a tendancy in my family, especially in males, to become hard of hearing quite early (mid 40’s). I’m still a young whippersnapper, and I have better than average hearing. I often hear things most others don’t, and I’m annoyed because other people always want the volume on things to be WAY too loud for me.

I’m not sure how this could apply to other senses, but I guess it could be interesting. i.e. you can numb yourself to a certain feeling, but is there a way to become more sensitive? Taste better? I don’t know where that would go.

2

It’s possible to train any sense. Musicians can make out individual instruments in an orchestra, wine tasters presumably can taste all sorts of things I can’t, and as an animator I can “slow time” to see individual frames in film.

But preventing yourself from going deaf by training yourself to hear soft noises? That’s a bit of a leap.

3

It seems to me that what you’re talking about doing is learning better focus and concentration, rather than actually improving the senses.

4

IANAD, but from my reading, the best way to maintain your hearing is to avoid exposure to loud noise. This includes excessively loud music, of the type found in nightclubs and gyms, as well as construction sites. If you have to use noisy power tools, wear good quality ear protection.

5

IMO you can train your brain to better interpret the signals comming from your ears hence the musician who can pick out instruments from an orchestra and the animator who can break down a film clip into indiviual frames. But you can’t train your ears or eyes to actually send more or better information to your brain. Once you lose some of your hearing, it’s gone for good.

6

You can tune the receiver, but you can’t (easily) fix the antenna if it’s broken. That’s about how I’d put it; and no amount of concentration will make up for a cochlear implant, if that’s what’s required.