Looking for a new skill during the coronavirus? Is it time to find something to help you relieve stress?
Maybe it’s time to learn piano.
The arts have a meditative quality to them. Pick up a paintbrush and paint; you relax as the strokes move across the canvas. Touch your fingers to the keys; you feel your breathing calm as each note comes alive.
And that really is the top benefit to learning piano. It requires your full concentration, full engagement of the brain as you work both hands together, while your brain activates by looking at each note on the sheet in front of you.
If you do any research, you’ll quickly discover that music isn’t just for enjoyment, music therapy is used in all sorts of ways. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD. Science is finding sitting still and playing a song can help in many ways.
While it may calm you down and act as a stress reliever, it’s activating the brain. Every time you practice a song, get better, and challenge yourself in new ways, it adds neural connections. That means your brain is learning, growing, and connecting to enhance your thinking skills.
When people think about physical activity, they often push themselves to run and jump. But there’s more to it than that, and that’s where learning piano can help. Playing piano strengthens hand-eye coordination. It also increases fine-motor skills. You might not be able to play physical sports like soccer or football your entire life, but piano is something you can do forever. Plus it works to lower blood pressure, reduce cardiac complications, lower respiratory rates, and increase immune response. That’s good news right now when we need something to do all that and more. It also strengthens your arm and hand muscles, and builds your focus muscle too.
You’ve always wanted to learn piano. It’s been on your bucket list for years.
Whether you choose to pick up where you left off as a kid, or you’re ready to start something new, make this the year you find your musical self once more. Make this the year you learn piano.
