A recent study by Exeter University, as reported by the Guardian, has found that playing a musical instrument or singing as part of a group could improve your memory and mental agility as you get older.
While music therapy is already used to help people with dementia, the new research suggests that similar approaches could be used to proactively reduce dementia risk in younger adults and promote healthier minds.
Keep reading for a closer look at the study, and other ways you could help to train your brain and stay mentally active.
Playing the piano could help to improve your brain health but singing works too
The Exeter University study looked at executive function data for more than 1,000 UK adults. Executive functions are the processes that help us plan, focus, and remember, and can also be helpful when moving between and juggling multiple tasks.
Participants who played an instrument scored comparatively higher than those without musical proficiency, with pianists coming out on top.
Singing also appears to be linked to better brain health, but researchers acknowledge that some of singing’s benefits could come from the social aspect of being part of a choir or group.
So, while any group activity that involves social interaction can help to keep your brain active, group activities that incorporate music – like singing in a choir or playing in a band – could be especially helpful.
Anne Corbett, professor of dementia research at the University of Exeter, has said, “Being musical could be a way of harnessing the brain’s agility and resilience, known as cognitive reserve.”
Corbett believes that the research makes a case for promoting musical education as part of public health initiatives, helping us all to protect our brains.
Music can be helpful, whether you’re returning to a childhood love or taking up an instrument for the first time. But music isn’t the only way to train your brain.
Three ways to keep your brain active
1. Try puzzles, jigsaws, and strategy games like chess
Different puzzles can help to improve different areas of your brain, from your working memory to your cognitive skills and vocabulary.
Try to do a variety of puzzle types to train as many regions of your brain as possible. That might mean jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, and strategy games like chess.
Chess has the benefit of being a two-player game with a social element, as well as helping your brain to formulate plans and think many moves ahead.
2. Join a club to meet like-minded people and share a hobby you love
As we have already seen, the social element of group singing can be beneficial to brain health. If you can’t hold a tune, though, there are many other group activities you might consider.
A book club is a great way to experience a wider range of reading material. This is a great way to help you out of a reading rut if you tend to stick to your favourite author or genre.
Opening yourself up to new voices can give you a new take on the world and in a book club, you get to share and discuss the emotions you felt while reading.
Equally, you might opt to join a local quiz team or take up dancing. If you’re looking to start a new hobby to encourage good brain health, be sure to pick something you enjoy so it doesn’t feel like a chore.
This also means the people you meet will have similar interests with the potential to spark new friendships.
3. Learning a new language is a great way to test your memory and retention skills
Learning to play a musical instrument might not be for you. If words or travel are your passion, tackling a new language might train similar areas of the brain to playing an instrument.
According to Cambridge University Press, learning a new language can help to improve your concentration levels and attention span, making it easier to purposely switch between multiple topics, and aid memory and information retention.
Learning two languages from birth leads to denser grey matter and increased white matter integrity, boosting brain reserves. But learning a new language in adulthood has some of the same advantages, regardless of the level you learn to.
New experiences build new connections in the brain so anytime you step out of your comfort zone, you’re stretching your mental capacity. And this strengthening is reinforced through repetition and practice. This is exactly the process you’ll undertake when learning a new language – or a new musical instrument. It’s this that makes both tasks such a great way to exercise your mind.
