While music is a powerful tool for changing emotions on its own, playing the piano can be even more helpful.
A study from the University of Bath highlights the positive effects of learning to play a musical instrument on the brain's ability to process sights and sounds, as well as its potential to alleviate feelings of depression.
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A healing power of the piano
The research focused on beginners who took piano lessons for an hour each week for a couple of months.
These people experienced notable enhancements in recognizing audio-visual changes in their environment and reported noticeably reduced levels of stress, anxiety, and even depression.
The study included 30 adults who were assigned to a music practice, music listening, or control group.
People with no prior musical experience underwent weekly one-hour sessions, with intervention groups engaging in piano practice while control groups listened to music or completed other tasks.
Within a few weeks, the ability to process multisensory information improved among those who received musical training, affecting tasks ranging from driving and navigation to recognizing individuals in a crowd or watching TV.
Additionally, participants' audio-visual processing accuracy extended beyond musical skills.
The results matter
Those people who received piano lessons exhibited higher accuracy in tasks that required judging whether sound and vision events occurred simultaneously.
The benefits also extended to mental well-being, as participants demonstrated better scores in mental health assessments after training.
The researchers suggest that music training could potentially benefit individuals with mental health difficulties.
