Stress is an unavoidable fact of modern life. With busy schedules, evolving technologies, and a seemingly constant cycle of negative news, our stress can rise to almost unbearable levels. But there’s a great, fun way to decrease this stress - music lessons!
That’s right - there’s plentiful evidence that learning to play an instrument can significantly relieve stress. Scientific studies have shown that people who play an instrument have lower stress levels, lower blood pressure, decreased heart rate, and decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression. One such study found that playing the piano reduces levels of cortisol, which is known as the “stress hormone” because it can cause physical symptoms of stress and anxiety. Researchers even found that playing the piano reduced cortisol levels more than other relaxing activities like reading, writing, and art! Another study found that taking guitar lessons can help to reduce symptoms of PTSD and depression.
There are a few reasons behind this phenomenon. You might have heard the term “mindfulness” from self-help books, yoga instructors, and even Instagram influencers. At its core, mindfulness is simply the practice of staying in the present moment by being aware of and focusing on your physical surroundings as well as your current mental and emotional state. The idea is that extreme focus on the present prevents your mind from rehashing the past and worrying about the future, which of course helps reduce stress. As it turns out, music lessons are a great way to promote mindfulness! When you’re practicing a musical instrument, you need all your mental energy to focus on all the skills you’re learning in your lessons, from reading the music in front of you to moving your fingers in the proper way to producing a great tone. With your mind working overtime to accomplish all these things, there’s not much room for worrying about the future!
Another great way that music lessons reduce stress is by getting you away from screens. Our modern world provides us with a constant stream of information from our phones, tablets, and televisions, which can cause considerable stress - several studies have linked frequent screen time with anxiety and sleep disorders. Playing an instrument gives you a break from work emails, social media, negative news, and other virtual stressors.
Another anti-stress benefit of learning music is that it is an inherently social activity. As humans, we crave interaction with other people, and music lessons allow you to work on a new skill while connecting with others, whether it’s other students or just your instructor. Even if you’re teaching yourself, music is a great way to start conversations and meet new people!
Even with all these benefits, many students are hesitant to start lessons because they’re afraid that they won’t be good at learning an instrument. But the good news is that you don’t have to be a great musician to reap the anti-stress benefits of music lessons! In fact, researchers have found that learning to play an instrument works even better as an anti-stress tool for musicians who play casually and who don’t worry about getting everything right.
So, if you’ve been feeling more stressed than usual, consider signing up for music lessons! Give us a call today for more information!