Bloggers have written thousands of articles about the benefits of learning music to children. Few pieces dive into the massive benefits you can get as an adult from learning a musical instrument.
Be it the cello, the piano, or a guitar, your overall health can benefit from learning an instrument. The good thing is music learning has never been more accessible. Music academies such as LVL Music Academy now offer online music lessons, and you can even create a whole symphony on your computer with today’s technology!
If that’s not enough to convince you to try music as an adult, the following five reasons to play an instrument will.
1) Improve Brain Power
Learning to play a musical instrument is an activity that involves the motor and multi-sensory (visual, auditory, and somatosensory) functions. The constant stimulation of these areas during the learning process improves your brain’s verbal memory and spatial reasoning ability.
It also improves your literacy. Studies show that learning a musical instrument increases the volume of gray matter in the brain.
2) Manage Stress Levels & Improve Overall Health
The daily grind can take its toll on us in unimaginable ways. Studies show that immersing yourself in learning a musical instrument is a great way to reduce anxiety and stress levels and lower your heart rate and blood pressure. This process also boosts your immune system, making you more disease-resistant.
Adults who play music are unlikely to suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The act of creating music is calming and fulfilling. And It’s no different for a beginner. The best thing about this calming effect is that you can transfer it to other areas of your life.
3) Improve Your Confidence Levels
It might look simple when you watch experienced musicians perform in front of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of people. However, doing this takes loads of confidence and self-belief. It doesn’t matter how long the musician has been playing or performing music.
Best of all, this newfound self-belief and confidence enter into other situations. Learning a musical instrument means you put yourself under some pressures experienced musicians go through while performing. It doesn’t matter how big or small your audience is; the point here is that you learn to face your fears and build your confidence levels as you perform for the audience. This process gets better after every single performance and improves your overall confidence levels.
4) Build Your Patience and Discipline Muscles
The best things in life are worth working for. Learning a musical instrument is no exception to the rule. To build expertise, you’ll need to work hard and long hours. It would be best if you persevered as you try and fail — because you will fail many times.
The process of starting over again and grinding your way through is an excellent lesson in discipline and patience, which is why it is fulfilling when you discover that you can now play the instrument with some superb proficiency.
5) Improve Your Social Life
By learning a musical instrument, you can create beautiful music for your loved ones. Playing music for friends and family also strengthens your bonds and creates lasting memories. If you prefer to play in public, you might make new friends primarily if you practice and play with fellow learners or a group of musicians.
The act of producing music together creates a sense of fellowship among the group. This allows them to build stronger and healthier friendships.
Final Thoughts
Finally, learning and playing music is fun. The process can be frustrating and tiring, but the benefits far outweigh the time it takes to practice.
