Pixabay Images

Pixabay Images

While brain training games and apps may not live up to their hype, it is well established that certain other activities and lifestyle choices can have neurological benefits that promote overall brain health and may help to keep the mind sharp as we get older. One of these is musical training. Research shows that learning to play a musical instrument is beneficial for children and adults alike, and may even be helpful to patients recovering from brain injuries.

“Music probably does something unique,” explains neuropsychologist Catherine Loveday of the University of Westminster. “It stimulates the brain in a very powerful way, because of our emotional connection with it.”

Musical training can have a dramatic impact on your brain’s structure, enhancing your memory, spatial reasoning and language skills.

– Mo Costandi

Read more: Want to ‘train your brain’? Forget apps, learn a musical instrument