Sep 8

Sep 8 Six Wellness Benefits of Playing Musical Instrument

Hi, I'm Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.

I started piano lessons at a young age and later learned the flute and french horn and played in my junior high and high school bands. I also loved playing duets with my flute teacher and other friends. After that, unfortunately, like so many teenagers, I gave up on my music.

And then, several weeks ago, out of the blue, I got an urge to start playing piano again. I spent a week or two looking for a used digital piano on Craig’s list and Facebook marketplace to no avail and then opted for a monthly rental from a local music store.

Renting eliminated the pressure of ‘well I just spent all this money, so I have to practice.’ If playing the piano wasn’t a fun activity that I organically found time for, I didn’t want it in my life. I was very clear on that!

Then I researched learning methods. I'm not against hiring a live teacher at some point, but in the beginning, as I'm getting my feet wet again, I wanted an online approach. So, I settled on the SKOOVE app.

Skoove is a blast! It ‘listens’ to what I'm playing and stops if I hit a wrong note. And like a typing app, the bottom of the screen shows hands playing while the top ½ of the screen shows the sheet music. It's fun, easy, intuitive.

That was two weeks ago, and I haven’t missed a day of practice. I love it! Now and then, when everything clicks, I create music that sounds lovely. Not bad after a few weeks! I like that I'm not doing this for anyone else but me. I don't need it to pad my college application, please my parents (although my dad, who's an accomplished amateur musician, will be tickled when he finds out I picked it back up). There are simply no ‘shoulds.’ It’s just for me.

Other than the joy of spending time doing an activity I get a kick out of there are six specific health and wellness benefits of learning an instrument and playing music as an adult:

Flow state: Research shows that happy people have activities in their lives where they achieve a flow state. And when I play my piano, I get into that meditative, flow state where time slips by. I’m not saying it’s all bliss and ease. I have moments of frustration or negative thoughts about my abilities. But then I utilize my meditation skills, take a deep breath and remind myself that I'm here for the journey I have no destination in mind. And then turn back to the music and keep practicing.

Brain Growth: Practicing an instrument grows grey matter in the brain. This doesn’t surprise me. There is a definite ‘pat your head rub your stomach’ awkwardness while I'm coordinating my right and left hand. As I overcome the awkwardness and learn a new piece of music, that’s new connections in my brain. Grey matter is growing, and that's pretty important for an aging brain. Not that I’m saying I’m old, exactly 😉

Stress Reliever: Heck yes! Besides odd frustrating moments or self-judging thoughts, I’m transported to a tranquil space. I’m not thinking about anything else.

Pick me up: Studies show increased blood flow to the left hemisphere when musicians practice. So, the next time your energy is flagging, reach for your musical instrument instead of caffeine. I tend to practice in the late afternoon, and I definitely feel a little buzz of alertness afterward.

Quicker reflexes and multitasking: Research shows that playing an instrument quickens reflexes and improves multitasking. Sure, I'm reading the music, moving my left hand, my right hand, and all while listening. There’s a lot going on! It’s great practice for our hectic lives.

Sense of Accomplishment: Have you heard the adage: we are what we do? Well, we have 24 hours in a day, and choosing how we spend that time in a sense defines us. So, when I spend 20 to 30 minutes with my piano, instead of opting for other forms of relaxation or entertainment, and I learn a new lovely musical passage, there is absolutely a sense of achievement.

Whether you played an instrument as a child or not, it’s never too late to reap the health and wellness rewards of creating music. Playing an instrument brings you into a flow state, grows grey matter in the brain, relieves stress, brings blood flow to the brain - energizing you, improves reflexes and multitasking abilities, all while creating a sense of accomplishment.

I’m Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and thank you for reading this blog about the benefits of learning a musical instrument as an adult. If you have any questions about this blog, health, wellness, or wellness coaching with me, please reach out via my website at lizmosercoaching.com.