In today’s fast-paced world, it’s difficult to relax. There’s always another deadline to meet, commute to survive, and Sean Spicer tweet to read. It can wreak havoc on your mental well-being, leaving you feeling strung out and anxious even when you try to unplug and unwind. If you’re tired of feeling exhausted and stressed out, it’s time you put down your smartphone and pick up an instrument. Learning to play music has a surprising number of mental health benefits that can help you find inner peace in a stressful world.
We’ve all turned on the radio and felt what our favorite song does to our mood, or experienced how a few carefully harmonized cords can make us tear up. By now it’s generally agreed listening to music can influence our moods immediately. But when turning on Uptown Funk or Can’t Stop the Feeling isn’t enough, you can arrange much more profound and long-term effects on your well-being by playing an instrument.
When we pick up an instrument and start making music on our own, it engages the same higher brain functions that we use when reading, speaking, and problem solving. The brain is like any other muscle in the body. The more we exercise it, the stronger and more capable it becomes. As you devote yourself to a dedicated musical practice, you’ll start to see improvements in your cognitive abilities and emotional intelligence, as well as your attention span and memory. With a sharper mind, you’ll find it easier to keep a level head when you tackle issues in your professional and personal lives.
It also has physiological effects that can help you keep calm in the face of adversity. Researchers at McGill University discovered playing music increases the number of antibodies in your blood while reducing the levels of cortisol, the body’s stress hormone. As a result, people who play music have a better immune system and less stress. Another separate study conducted at Berklee College of Music has shown that playing music can help reduce depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and decrease an individual’s resting heart rate.
Playing music is an outlet for both the positive and negative feelings you experience from day to day. As you develop your practice, you can explore your instrument creatively and work through difficult emotions. Your sense of self-worth can skyrocket as a musician as well.The self-confidence you gain after seeing your hard work behind the fret or keyboard pay off can bleed into other areas of your life.
When you’re ready to reap the benefits of learning how to play an instrument, make sure you start your practice on the right foot by enrolling in beginner music lessons. A knowledgeable instructor can help you navigate the exciting and at times frustrating world of music. With their expert advice, you can get your head around notes, fingering and embouchure, and musical theory faster, so you can start feeling the benefits to your mental health sooner.
If you aren’t sure where to find your music teacher, don’t look for them on local fliers or ads on Craigslist. There’s no way of confirming their professionalism or qualifications as an instructor. When you enroll through a music store like Long & McQuade, on the other hand, they’ve already vetted the teachers on their roster and found them capable to teach people in engaging ways guaranteed to help them reach their goals. Go online to Long-mcquade.com/lessons/ to see how easy it is to find an instructor. As you can see, there’s an instructor waiting for whatever instrument you wish to learn, and they can help you whether you plan on taking examinations, performing in a recital, or just learning your favorite song.
Once you have someone on your side showing you the ropes, you’ll find it easier to unplug from the world and tune into your instrument. They’ll guide you through the best techniques so you can start playing music on your own. Though you’ll still need to go to work and deal with your responsibilities, you’ll find yourself calmer and better equipped to handle the stress of the modern world. So find a local music store and experience what music can do for your mental health.
6 comments
@ Emma:
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