Here’s Why Playing a Musical Instrument Is So Good for Your Brain | Music - aNewDomain

Learning how to play an instrument can boost your brainpower. It can even heal. Here’s how, notes Gina Smith, New York Times bestselling author and an award-winning journalist.

Photo: aNewDomain

Playing music for yourself and others is a creative, joyful activity. It’s soothing. It puts you in touch with your most intimate self.

But did you know it can boost your brainpower, too?

Over the last couple decades, reams of research have revealed how music can physically and even dramatically improve your brain and its cognitive processes — strengthening memory, reducing anxiety and, even, alleviating depression. And that’s just for starters.

What’s more, strumming a guitar, playing Mozart on the piano or even just banging on some drums, studies show, will improve your brain in ways you will actually notice.

Musical training improves cognitive abilities
Whether you’re into music yourself or you have friends who play a musical instrument, be it a guitar, an electric ukulele, or drums, you’ve already experienced the outward brain benefits of playing music. After all, everyone knows how happy music can improve your mood and why singing the blues can feel like such a release after a really bad breakup...

Music does not just gather people with similar mindsets and interests but helps them connect at a far more profound level. 
Playing in a band, for example, will help you know your fellow musicians in a different way than when doing other things together. Yes, syncing with your band colleague playing the bass while you’re trying to keep your drum rhythm may bring out unpleasant reactions, too, but that’s part of knowing someone. 
Read more...

Source: aNewDomain