. How Learning to Play a Musical Instrument Can Improve Your Mental Health

How Learning to Play a Musical Instrument Can Improve Your Mental Health

Musical Instrument

Music is the most international language to communicate. Learning music is a decision that parents usually make for their children when they are pretty young. In recent decades, more and more teenagers have decided to play an instrument. Adults willing to play a musical instrument are not exceptions either. Scientific research has proven that music can have relieving and anxiety-reducing results.

It is never too late to learn to play a musical instrument. Considering the benefits of music on people’s health, playing an instrument can be a remedy to improve your physical and mental health. Here are some details about how playing a musical instrument can improve your mental health.

Learning to Play an Instrument Reduces Anxiety and Stress

Mental health disorders do not appear from anything. Everyday routine, stressful lifestyle, and an unhealthy diet can provoke health issues. Both physical and psychological health is essential for the complete and optimal functioning of our body. Learning to play an instrument can reduce anxiety and relieve stress. The process of learning to play an instrument requires optimal concentration; your brain is focused on one thing leaving behind all the difficulties and mental pressure of your day. In this process, negative thoughts are left behind, and your body tries to get rid of the burdens and boost positive energy. Learning to play an instrument creates a boundary were nothing but the musical sound enters.

John Carpenter, the Rebecca Center for Music Therapy in New York, applies music therapy to reduce stress, anxiety, and other health disorders. Several studies have been published by this center related to music and its beneficial effects.

Suzanne Hanser from Berklee College of Music in Boston is one of many specialists that consider learning to play an instrument beneficial not only for young people but also for adults. It applies blood pressure balancing, and stress and anxiety reduction. 

Learning Music Helps to Battle Depression

Learning Music

Depression is a disorder that makes your life upside down. It has different causes and few remedies. Depression is related to your stress levels and how your body and brain deal with them. All of us have experienced a sense of tremendous sadness and mood changes. Extreme feelings are natural if they disappear in some time. If these symptoms persist, we are talking about depression.

Depression symptoms are alleviated by music. Is there a specific music type to relax your brain? This is a challenging question to answer. Time signatures in music are organizing and metering the music. Assisting that 4/4 or 6/8 time signatures are better for your brain can be a fallacy. People react differently to different types of music—people like better 4/4 or 6/8 for their constant and relaxing rhythm. Nevertheless, thousands of music lovers relax under the Sounds of Hard Rock music.

For beginners, the best music to combat depression is to play simple time signatures like 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 3/8, and 2/2. Once you have gained the advanced level, you can start with more challenging time signatures, which will require better concentration. Mind focused on a favorite hobby leaves behind low spirits and despair.

Learning to Play Music Makes Your Brain Sharper

We are used to paying close attention to our physical appearance. Our body is in the foreground. We take care of it by going to the gym, exercising, and eating healthy. But there is no healthy body without a healthy brain. Learning to play a musical instrument requires memory training. It raises cognitive competence. Research done by DIY.com published interesting results regarding people learning to play a musical instrument. It appears that people show 10 percent higher IQ results if they study music or play a musical instrument.

Learning to play a musical instrument develops abstract thinking abilities; your reasoning skills are likely to turn from “what I see is what there is” to “there is something beyond what I see”. These analytical skills make you proficient in math and science. Some studies distinguish even among the instrument types. For instance, it is believed that people who play string instruments like violin use the part of the brain that others do not and that violin players’ brain is larger and more sensitive to signals sent to them by their left-hand fingers.

If you have doubts, you can start learning to play an instrument. Let’s see what happens!

Playing An Instrument Makes You Happy and Patient

All the people have the skills to learn scales, time signatures, chords, and more. It is not about the ability but individual differences. We know in different ways, in other terms. When it comes to music, you put apart your lascivious behavior and focus on your preferred instrument. Your brain that was tense a few minutes ago calms down and learns to be patient. Patience is what many of us need. It is essential for our mental well-being. It helps us not to lose control and omit mood changes.

Dopamine is responsible for pleasure and happiness. Playing an instrument or listening to music gives you satisfaction and boosts dopamine production in the body. Thus once you start learning to play an instrument, you are happier!

Final Thoughts

Music therapy is already a remedial treatment to help reduce stress and anxiety. Playing a musical instrument can affect your mental health positively. Your brain is exposed to pressure due to everyday repetitive routine or stressful lifestyle. Playing an instrument is a way to improve your mental tension. It helps you forget about the negative details and focus on what you do. It makes your brain generate the “happiness hormone” and exercise your memory.

Happiness is so close, just choose an instrument and make your music!