Learning and playing the piano, or any musical instrument, can have many positive effects on us. Among those are improvements on our physical, mental and emotional health and well being. Whether you learn to play the piano, violin, or guitar, research shows that learning an instrument will improve your health at any age.
Stress Relief
1 Learning to play an instrument like the piano, can refocus your energy. Engaging in positive and enjoyable activities like practicing the piano can help to alleviate stress. Furthermore, playing and composing music is said to lower your cortisol levels, which reduces stress. When your stress levels are low, so too is your heart rate and blood pressure.
Improved Respiratory System
2 One of the most important things that you’ll be taught when you learn to play the saxophone is proper breathing. Producing a good sound on any wind instrument is dependent on your breath. These breathing exercises will help you become a great saxophone player or singer. In addition, they will also improve your respiratory system.
Exercise
3 Learning to play an instrument is a great form of physical activity. Learning instruments like the piano, violin or drums require a healthy amount of upper body strength. Building up to play for extended periods of time also helps develop muscles and increases your stamina. Lastly, posture is an often overlooked aspect of learning an instrument such as the piano. Proper posture goes a long way in honing your craft and your health.
Improved Immune System
4 There is interesting research between Tenovus Cancer Center Care and the Royal College of Music. They found that “singing in a choir for just one hour boosts levels of immune proteins in people affected by cancer, reduces stress and improves mood, which inturn could have a positive impact on overall health.” Studies have shown that making music enhances the immunological response. In turn, this enables us to fight viruses, according to this article.
Improved Cognitive Performance
5 Playing and listening to music has an unbelievable impact on our brain. Learning, practicing and playing the piano, or an instrument, improves long term memory and increases brain development. Playing music has been shown to help people recover from strokes and slow down the onset of dementia and Alzheimers. Read more about how learning an instrument impacts our brain in our back to school post. 8 Ways Music Lessons Can Lead To Academic Success.
Lastly, here’s one of our favorite videos explaining music and the brain: