4. Mental Health & Emotional Benefits

There are great cognitive benefits here for improving focus, intelligence, and motor skills. This only scratches the surface of the advantages that guitar playing can provide. Beyond the cognitive changes, there are the following mental health benefits.

Gain a form of stress relief by shredding and heavy strumming.

The act of guitar playing can be deeply therapeutic. A study from the Mind-Body Wellness Center and Loma Linda University School of Medicine and Applied Biosystems found that playing an instrument has a big impact on stress levels.

It is a great form of relief for anybody struggling to release the tension of a long day in the office. Many first time players are 40-something adults needing a release. Some people like to play a few rounds of golf, while others want to learn to unleash their inner rockstar.

Escape from anxiety by having a guitar solo or jam session with your friends.

The guitar demands your full attention. It insists that you switch off from the outside world completely. It provides an escape for those 20-minute sessions.

This means that guitar lessons could be a great option for people struggling with depression and anxiety disorders.

This is made better by the fact that it does give something back. That sense of accomplishment from achieving those difficult lessons leads to great happiness and self-worth.

Boost your creativity skills by improvising.

More and more of us are being encouraged to bring more creativity and a work-life-balance into our lives. For many, this means drawing painting or the ongoing craze of adult coloring-in books. Others like to bake. Then there are those that have no place setting foot near a mixing bowl or an easel. Music is a creative outlet that brings just as much joy through the same amount of passion.

Give yourself a sense of nostalgia by playing your favourite guitar classics

We get a great feeling from putting on a record of a favorite band from our teenage years. Learning to play those Nirvana or Smiths classics just takes that to a new level with even greater rewards.

There is a deep emotional connection with music. Music can make us cry with greater ease than a sad movie. It is easy to stir up memories of lost love and lost youth. At the same time, music can also create a sense of euphoria. Finding a song that relates to happier times, with uplifting lyrics, can instantly elevate the mood of a room.

Give hope and empowerment to others by bringing your talent to the public.

These positive emotions are amplified when we play songs to provide those feelings for other people. This has to be the ultimate benefit of learning guitar: to make others feel something wonderful. That goal drives everyone from the busker on the street corner to the global star trying to entertain an arena of thousands.