There’s an excellent article here about just how good learning an instrument is for your brain health: brain structure, function, development and acuity. From John Rampton’s article:
“The more we know about the impact of music on really basic sensory processes, the more we can apply musical training to individuals who might have slower reaction times,” said lead researcher Simon Landry.
“As people get older, for example, we know their reaction times get slower,” said Landry. “So if we know that playing a musical instrument increases reaction times, then maybe playing an instrument will be helpful for them.”
Previously, Landry found that musicians have faster auditory, tactile, and audio-tactile reaction times. Musicians also have an altered statistical use of multisensory information. This means that they’re better at integrating the inputs from various senses.
“Music probably does something unique,” explains neuropsychologist Catherine Loveday of the University of Westminster. “It stimulates the brain in a very powerful way because of our emotional connection with it.”
If you’re looking for a way to maintain or improve brain function, you could do much worse than picking up a guitar!
- strengthens bonds with others
- strengthens reading and memory skills
- Make you happy!
- Enhances the ability to process more than one thing at once
- increases blood flow to your brain
- helps the brain recover (from a stroke, for instance)
- Reduces stress and depression
- strengthens the brain’s executive function
Read the whole article here