Whether it’s learning what the keys are on a piano or learning how to hold a guitar, taking up a musical instrument is definitely a major health boost. New studies have recently shown that playing an instrument can sometimes be more powerful than medication, and here’s why:
Playing an instrument reduces anxiety and stress
Coming from personal experience, playing an instrument is always the best way for me to lay back after a stressful day. I recently just started guitar lessons and just coming to my room after class and sitting down and practicing allows my mind to take a rest and my muscles to relax.
Science has shown that music reduces anxiety and pain by activating sensory pathways that compete with pain pathways, which stimulates an emotional response that takes away the focus from thoughts that trigger anxiety. In other words, it’s a scientifically proven fact that music stimulates positive emotional engagement, which is pretty cool.
We become more creative thinkers from playing music
According to a study published by the American Psychological Association, playing a musical instrument keeps our minds more active and sharper, especially as we age. I played piano throughout most of my childhood, and I would always come up with these great ideas that I would manifest in other parts of my life. As I played the piano, I would just allow all these ideas and thoughts to float through my head and determine how I could incorporate each idea into my everyday life. For example, playing the piano has helped me to become a better writer. Playing a certain tune that allows me to visualize and imagine leads to more ideas for a story.
Playing an instrument increases our memory
Studies have shown that playing a musical instrument stimulates your brain, which leads to an increase in memory. By playing music, the shape of our brain changes and becomes more powerful. Also by learning new songs and techniques, the brain is exercising its motor skills that is responsible for hearing and storing information. For me, learning how to read music and using those skills to learn a new song has helped me in academic aspects such as studying for a test or learning content more quickly.
Our social abilities and involvement is strengthened
The training that both the mind and body encounter to strengthen music comprehension is similar to the training that occurs when developing both speech and verbal skills. Also, musical training strengthens the same muscles that assist us in organization and concentration skills. These skills are important in the development of our relationships and the way we interact with other people. Music also allows us to share our ideas and talents with other people and can be used as a basis for forming friendships and connections.
Playing an instrument makes us smarter
Research is starting to show that both listening and playing music makes us more intelligent because these activities actually release more BNDF, CREB, and synapsin 1, all of which strengthen our mental capacities. In other words, playing a musical instrument activates our brain in a way that makes us more productive. Some of the other mental benefits of learning a musical instrument include increased comprehension and math skills and improved coordination.
