Whether you want to be the next Jimi Hendrix or just enjoy playing your favorite songs, learning a musical instrument offers numerous benefits. Here are 18 of the most important reasons to pick up an instrument:
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
The act of playing a musical instrument is incredibly therapeutic. It engages the mind and releases positive chemicals that relieve stress and help with mood disorders like depression.
Improves Memory and Stimulates Brain Function
Research shows that playing a musical instrument can strengthen the connections between different areas of the brain, improving memory and cognitive functions. This may also be helpful for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Strengthens Motor Skills
Playing a musical instrument requires dexterity, flexibility, and nuance to achieve optimal performance. This training can strengthen fingers, arms, and shoulders as well as abs and back muscles.
Teaches Patience and Perseverance
Learning a musical instrument is not easy, and it takes time and effort to master new skills. Most musicians have to work on difficult sections of music multiple times before they are able to play them correctly.
Promotes Social Connections
Playing an instrument can help you make new friends. It can also lead to other opportunities that allow you to expand your network of friends, such as playing in a band or starting a choir.
Increases Blood Flow to the Brain
Our bodies need plenty of blood to function properly, and not having enough can slow down our brains. This can be an especially problem if we are under a lot of stress or have other medical issues.