Instruments and the Physical and Psychological Body: A Instrumental Lifestyle

Instruments are a tool for musicians to communicate with a rich and complex array of emotions. However, for non-musicians, instruments are also a vital tool, not to convey emotions, but to strengthen the physical and psychological body. Although playing music is commonly known to increase one’s IQ, it can also help those struggling with depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders. Playing an instrument can also bestow physical benefits such as improved dexterity and hearing. Participation in the creation of music has beneficial physical and psychological qualities and can counteract or even reverse the negative effects of social media and aging.
The playing of instruments induces improvement in many cortices of the brain controlling physical aspects of the body, such as hearing and motor skills. During the process of music creation, different sections of the brain light up, especially the motor, auditory, and visual cortices. Playing music requires “...fine motor skills which are controlled in both hemispheres of the brain” (Collins). Virtually, this allows the entire brain to dive into what some refer to as a full brain workout. As musicians progress through their musical journeys, the entire architecture of their brain changes. The brain essentially upgrades and expands, adding more bricks and cement to multiple areas of the brain, in this case, gray matter. Playing music can even boost the immune system, as it stimulates the production of the antibody immunoglobulin A and natural killer cells: white blood cells that target and kill viral pathogens.
The parts of the brain that control fine motor, problem solving, and auditory skills benefit most from instrumental training and when strengthened, can be used in other activities. The auditory cortex, the area that controls hearing, is constantly being used during the making of music. During the process of music creation, the brain dissects the tune, separating rhythmic beats from melodic notes, allowing the musician to differentiate between offbeat rhythms or out of tune notes. This skill gets better with time and can even be applied to real life situations. For example, a musically trained ear can pick up different emotional tones encrypted in a person’s speech, “...allowing musicians to pick out exactly what others are feeling just on the tone of their voices” (Alleyne). The current generation is slowly losing the ability to empathize through sounds, as it becomes harder to pick out specific emotional tones in a person’s voice. Playing an instrument can help revitalize and train the brain to recognize the various emotional tones that can be woven into the speech of others. Fine motor skills are exercised in many instruments such as the piano. Fine motor skills will improve with time allowing this skill to be applied in different activities, such as knitting, and even jobs, such as a car mechanic. During the music production process, different areas of the brain are used, therefore allowing them to strengthen and apply to other activities. The corpus callosum, the part of the brain that connects its two hemispheres, grows larger with the playing of an instrument. An increased volume in the corpus callosum corresponds to a faster information processing speed, allowing for quicker problem solving. Faster problem solving skills can improve a countless amount of activities, one of such being chess. Essentially, the playing of an instrument will strengthen many parts of the brain which will allow the musician to apply those particular skills in other activities.
Playing instruments results in an efficient and expanded memory. In multiple tests of verbal and nonverbal memories, individuals with at least ten years of musical experience scored higher compared to those without any prior experience in music. The brain has a vast library of memories, but sometimes they are efficiently stored and therefore difficult to retrieve. Studies have shown that musicians assign different “tags” to their memories, similar to the way computers put different files in assigned folders which allows each memory to be created, stored, and retrieved quickly and efficiently.
Consistent instrumental lessons have a direct relationship with an increased IQ and academic performance, as proven by many studies. In one study, 6 year olds were given organized voice or piano lessons while the control group had no instrumental contact. The study found that those who were, “...given a year of voice or piano lessons saw a significantly larger increase in IQ than a control group that waited a year for musical instruction” (Munsey). In young children, every additional month of instrumental lessons correlated with an increase in IQ by ⅙ of a point. Therefore, after 6 years of lessons, their IQ would increase by 7.5 points, compared to other students of relatively the same age but with no or minimal exposure to lessons. A similar study was conducted with the same variables, but with college students instead. College students who had six years of regularly playing music as a child had an increase of two IQ points over others of the same age with no history of playing music. Adults have also exhibited an increased IQ after consistant music playing, but on a smaller scale. Nevertheless, playing music with increase the IQ of all age groups, no matter how young or old an individual is.
Participation in music relieves symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety. Playing an instrument stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin while reduces levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. This hormone also builds bonds and trust allowing for feelings of inclusion while also lowering or even erasing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Dana Marlowe, 33, helps prove and show the calming effects of playing instruments. When Dana needs to relieve herself from a stressful day of work, as a technology accessibility consultant, she plays her toddler’s instruments. Dana goes, “...right into [her] toddler’s playroom, and [she] just jam out with his toys -- the xylophone, the baby piano. [She] almost has 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' down," (Kuchinskas). Therefore, as shown by science and Dana, tapping out musical notes can relieve depression, anxiety, and stress.
Aging adults experience a flurry of physical and psychological disabilities such as chronic depression and hearing loss. As the auditory cortex, the part of the brain that controls hearing, starts to age, it becomes weaker, resulting in a gradual loss of hearing. However, musicians constantly exercise the auditory cortex, making it stronger and essentially slowing down the symptoms of hearing loss. Memory loss and sluggish processing speeds are common in aging adults, but can be counteracted by playing music. Although it is commonly thought that only children can reap the benefits of playing an instrument, older adults can benefit similarly. In a study, “Adults age 60 to 85 without previous musical experience exhibited improved processing speed and memory after just three months of weekly 30-minute piano lessons and three hours a week of practice, whereas the control group showed no changes in these abilities” (Bryant). This particular study indicates that playing instruments correlates with improved memories and processing speeds, regardless of age. Depression can take hold on an older adult’s life causing further complications and can lead to mental diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. The hormone oxytocin is important in the building of bonds and trust with others, creating feelings of inclusion therefore lessening the symptoms of depression. Parts of the brain that control memories in musicians, or prior musicians, are stronger and more resilient practically deaccelerating the progression of memory loss diseases.
The overuse of technology has taken major tolls on the world’s teenagers, creating problems of depression, anxiety, and disconnection. Anxiety and depression are growing prominent in teens as they continue to spend more time on social media. Anxiety takes shape when an individual constantly checks their social media account, afraid others will dislike their posts or worried about a loss in followers. In the United States alone, “...1 in 3 teens met criteria for an anxiety disorder. Severe anxiety, including panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias, afflicts 8.3% of all teens” (Ring). To put this in perspective, 13,910,411 teenagers meet the criteria for a type of anxiety disorder while about 3,463,692 teenagers suffer from a severe anxiety disorder, in the US alone. Depression can engulf an individual when others finally dislike their posts or their followers count starts to diminish. In a study with 160 high school students, where the amount of time spent on social media was compared with the depression of an individual, researchers found that, “Frequent use of Facebook and other social networks is thought to be associated with certain behavioral changes...DI-II-II score indicated minimal depression in 104 students, mild depression in 46 students, and moderate depression in 10 students” (Association … Students). The majority of the subjects met the criteria for minimal depression. However, the severity of depression can increase as an individual continues to spend large amounts of time on social media sites. Disconnection happens almost immediately. When a teenager enters the realm of social media, they are by themselves. Although they have the illusion of others surrounding them, their friends are merely words on a screen. Social media users are ripped away from their family and friends, those who support them, without even knowing it. The trap of social media is especially dangerous for teenagers suffering from psychological disorders. Social media, “...takes away from immediate connectedness to their families – to the support system that is most familiar with them, to those people who are best equipped to actually be there for them, understand them [and] support them” (Schroeder). Teenagers are plunging into the unknown and possibly dangerous realm of social media, where bonds are cut not tied. Teenagers are slowly losing the essence of bondage, drifting farther away from family and even friends. The involvement and incorporation of instrumental lessons or sessions in a teenagers life can overhaul the burdens of anxiety, depression, and disconnection. Other than separating one from their device, participating in instrumental sessions can aid the bonding process, mainly because of bond strengthening hormone, oxytocin. Oxytocin also relieves the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Therefore, theoretically, an increased amounts of time spent on playing instruments will result in lessened feelings of depression and anxiety and stronger bonds allowing one to feel more connected.
Playing an instrument is a lifetime activity, able to provide benefits and reversing issues for younger and older age groups. Social media mainly creates psychological issues for teenagers such as depression and anxiety. Aging generates both psychological and physical disabilities for seniors such as hearing loss and memory loss. However, playing an instrument possesses powerful physical and psychological qualities allowing the negative problems of social media and aging to be efficiently reversed.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alleyne, Richard. "Playing a Musical Instrument Makes You Brainier." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 2009. Web. 03 Jan. 2017.

"Association between Online Social Networking and Depression in High School Students: Behavioral Physiology Viewpoint." Psychiatria Danubina. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2012. Web. 24 Jan. 2017.

Munsey. "Music Lessons May Boost IQ and Grades." Pardon Our Interruption. American Psychological Association, 2006. Web. 03 Jan. 2017.

Bryant, Sharon. "Why Play Music-Seniors." Why Play Music-Seniors | NAMM Foundation. NAMM Foundation Website, 01 June 2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2017.

Collins, Anita. "How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain - Anita Collins." TED-Ed. Ted Conferences, LLC, Dec. 2016. Web. 03 Jan. 2017.

Kuchinskas, Sarah. "How Making Music Reduces Stress." WebMD. WebMD, 2017. Web. 25 Jan. 2017.

Ring, Mellnda. "Teen Depression and How Social Media Can Help or Hurt." CNN. Cable News Network, 6 Aug. 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2017.

Schroeder, Michael. "For Some Troubled Kids and Teens, Social Media Can Be a ‘Vicious Circle’." US News. US News, 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2017.