Looking for a fun way to stay sharp as you age? Pick up an instrument. A new study published in PLOS Biology found that older adults who regularly play music may have younger, more resilient brains.
Researchers studied three groups: older adults who had played music their entire lives, older adults who didn’t, and younger adults who also didn’t play. The results were striking—while the non-musician seniors struggled to hear speech in noisy environments (a common sign of cognitive aging), the lifelong musicians performed nearly as well as the younger group.
“Deterioration of the brain is a major factor in age-related cognitive decline,” explained Dr. Lei Zhang, study co-author and postdoctoral fellow at Baycrest Hospital’s Rotman Research Institute. “Positive lifestyle choices, like playing music, help build up neural resources that protect the brain as it ages.”
Music is more than a hobby—it’s a total brain workout. Playing an instrument combines sensory awareness, fine motor skills, memory, and emotional expression. This engages multiple brain regions simultaneously, strengthening neural connections that help delay mental decline.
And the good news? It doesn’t matter what instrument you play. Dr. Zhang noted there’s no significant difference between playing the piano, guitar, or flute—the benefits are consistent across the board.
Not musically inclined? That’s okay. The takeaway is simple: keep learning. Activities that challenge your brain—like learning a language, dancing, painting, or even regular exercise—can all help build what scientists call “cognitive reserve.”
So whether you’re strumming, sketching, or salsa dancing, stimulating your brain can help you stay mentally sharp well into your golden years. As Dr. Zhang puts it: “Enriching hobbies can slow age-related decline—and it’s never too late to start.”
