Make Music to Strengthen Your Brain and Mental Health
An article by Viktorija Milosevska – chief physician in psychiatry, board member at Nordenfeltska Music School, and herself an adult student at the school.
Music is a powerful art form that has the ability to affect us deeply, both emotionally and physically. But did you know that making music can have positive effects on your mental health and strengthen your brain's structure and function? Research shows that music education – such as learning to play an instrument or taking singing lessons – is an excellent investment in your health throughout your life.
Playing an instrument or singing can help reduce symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety, as well as improve memory and cognitive ability in both children and adults. Here are some of the key benefits that science has been able to demonstrate:
1. Emotional and Mental Benefits
- Increased happiness and reward: Making music releases the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, which stimulates the body's reward system and contributes to a feeling of deep satisfaction and joy.
- Stress reduction: Concentrating on playing an instrument works in practice as a form of active meditation. It lowers stress hormones (such as cortisol) and relieves anxiety.
- Boosted self-esteem: Overcoming challenges on your instrument and experiencing gradual progress builds strong self-confidence and a sense of personal growth.
- Creative stimulation: Playing and interpreting music (or improvising) trains the brain to think outside established patterns, which increases general problem-solving ability.
2. Cognitive Benefits and Neuroplasticity
One of the most fascinating discoveries in modern neuroscience is how making music affects the brain's physical structure, a phenomenon called neuroplasticity. Studies have shown that regular music practice increases the amount of gray matter in the parts of the brain that control hearing, motor skills, and executive functions (such as planning, attention, and decision-making).
It has also been shown that musicians develop a thicker and better-functioning corpus callosum – the bridge connecting the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This leads to faster communication between the hemispheres and improves the capacity for multimodal integration (processing information from multiple senses at the same time).
3. Positive Effects in Aging
Music education works as a protective net for the brain as we age. Research indicates that adults and elderly people who make music have better working memory, higher verbal ability, and find it easier to perceive speech in noisy environments compared to non-musicians. In other words, it is a fantastic form of "brain exercise" that keeps the brain young and flexible.
Conclusion
Whether you are a child taking your first steps on the piano or an adult wishing to resume an old hobby or learn something completely new, making music does wonders for your well-being. It is never too late to invest in your mental health and your brain's capacity through the joy of music.
Scientific References
- Moreno, S., Bialystok, E., et al. (2011). Short-term music training enhances verbal intelligence and executive function. Psychology of Music, 39(2).
- Gaser, C., & Schlaug, G. (2003). Gray matter differences between musicians and nonmusicians. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 999(1).
- Hyde, K. L., Lerch, J., et al. (2009). Musical training shapes structural brain development. Journal of Neuroscience, 29(10).
- Thoma, M. V., La Marca, R., et al. (2013). The effect of music on the human stress response. PLoS One, 8(8).
- Parbery-Clark, A., Strait, D. L., et al. (2011). Musical experience and the aging auditory system: implications for cognitive abilities. PLoS One, 6(5).