Various embodiments of a hearing device and a method of forming such device are disclosed. The device includes a housing adapted to be worn on or behind an ear of a wearer and includes a housing body and a top plate connected to the housing body. The hearing device further includes a sensor disposed on at least one of a first side surface and a second side surface of the housing body. The sensor is adapted to be in contact with either a pinna or a skull of the wearer. The sensor is further adapted to detect a physiological characteristic of the wearer and generate a sensor signal based on the physiological characteristic.