If you’ve ever played an instrument, you know how staying focused feels like. Research shows that music and productivity are strongly correlated – the more music you play, the more creative and productive you’ll get. Being immersed in a state of creativity only enhances your chances of understanding the world, which helps you become mindful in the long term. “Music breaks mental barriers,” many musicians would agree. Besides that, it improves your brain’s cognition and boosts memory. There are many reasons why you should start playing music. In this article, you’ll find some of the most important.
Your brain’s neuroplasticity improves
Neuroplasticity is a fancy term, but it simply refers to your brain’s ability to undergo changes throughout your life. The more you engage in certain types of activities, the more neural connections your neurons will form. If you ever heard the expression, “neurons that fire together wire together,” you probably know what I am referring to. The more involved you are in a certain type of activity (e.g. music), the stronger your interneural connections become; the stronger your neural connections are, the more neuroplasticity your brain develops, turning you into a more mindful person. As your brain grows, your brain activity improves and is able to change constantly, which provides you with an endless flow of ideas and creativity.
Your cognitive abilities upgrade
Your cognitive abilities will also change for the better as you take on music, both in the short and long term. That is because playing an instrument involves more than one part of the brain – it involves both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Thus, music training is a beneficial activity for your mental health because it boosts your neuronal connections. One of the areas in which you will see most of the important brain changes is the hippocampus, which is the brain region involved in memory and learning. Studies have shown that the hippocampus is the main affected area when engaging in musical training. The hippocampus plays an important role in forming new neurons and helping neuronal pathways connect and engage with each other. As someone plays an instrument, their sensory input and auditory circuits improve. Their motor neurons fire faster and thus, boost cognitive ability. The visual and emotional responses are also processed faster and more accurately.
You age slower Since you will be able to maintain your cognitive abilities in better shape than before, your aging process will also modify. Being a musician is beneficial for many reasons yet one of the coolest is that you’ll age slower. Since your executive functioning will improve by playing an instrument and your motor and memory skills will undergo the same process, your age won’t be able to show. More than that, you will be able to stay concentrated for longer, which will help you understand more. Your attention span will lengthen, so you won’t get as distracted as before. This will not only help you engage in a broader range of meaningful activities but also boost your productivity in what you are currently pursuing. If you are in school, you might no longer need help with dissertations or any other type of schoolwork, as your focus will improve, so you will be able to finish by the deadline without worrying. Your overall health benefits One Edubirdie review that I’ve recently come across helped me understand how musical training can help our health overall. First, as I already mentioned, your cognitive abilities improve. This is highly important because improved cognition (executive functioning, memory, etc.) play an active role in determining your mental health. The better your cognition, the less challenging the struggles. Second, when you are playing an instrument, you are automatically at a lower risk of suffering from illnesses such as Dementia, Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s. Since your mental health is in good shape, it means that you will also be more determined to improve your physical health. When both your mental and physical health are intact, you are blooming and exceeding expectations. No more stress How many times have you struggled to finish an assignment or submit a task by the deadline? How many times have you stressed out about it? How many times have you consulted the Assignment help Australia or other online services to help you out with your school struggles? I am guessing that you’ve done that – or thought about doing it – at least once in your student career. The reason for that is that you were stressed and quite distracted. You might have not gotten enough sleep or couldn’t even concentrate on finishing your work. Playing an instrument or actively engaging in musical training will ameliorate stress and help you focus better on your assignments. Your focus will stabilize, so you’ll be able to complete your work more efficiently. You will also feel better about yourself and more confident in your abilities to succeed. Being productive Music teaches us about rhythm and staying in tune with the flow. Musicians know that keeping time in a piece is as important as playing by the beat. Thus, they use the same skills in life. So, if you take on music, you will be able to apply the same concepts in life. As specialists agree, there is no difference between playing an instrument and playing life. In the end, they both offer you the exact same struggles – keeping rhythm, staying in tune – and the exact same circumstances – doing all of that while distractions happen all around. So, the ability to stay focused on your work and overcome the challenges that unfold in music will teach you to do the same thing in life, and vice versa. In the end, it’s all about practicing being productive in order to truly become productive. Becoming a social butterfly Last but not least, playing music will teach you important social skills, believe it or not. No more reaching out to specialists or psychologists to help you understand yourself – music is the key! Music has the power to bring out the best version of ourselves. It is not about what we do or say but about what we feel. When we play music, we undoubtedly become more empathic, kind, and thoughtful. We open our hearts to the music and allow generosity to flow in and out of ourselves. We thus become more inclined to spend time with the people around us and understand them truthfully. As a musician, you will become more helpful towards others, which can be nothing but a social skill. Those around you – whether family or friends – will notice this change in you. Therefore, since you will open up, they will reciprocate in ways you wouldn’t have expected before. You might also have an easier time making new friends and enriching already-existing connections. Conclusion Becoming a musician will bring yourself and your brain tremendous benefits. You will see clear improvements in your brain activity and your overall health. Your heart will open to those around you, helping you become more empathic and loving. Your memory activity will boost, and your confidence will automatically increase. So, don’t think about it twice – just do it! Pick up an instrument and start your training.
Author bio:
Joe McLean is a regular blog contributor for Aussie essay writing and the custom essay reviews. When he isn’t writing, you can find him tracking in nature, doing yoga or playing board games with his friends.