Benefits of Playing Flute in Adulthood: Health, Happiness, and More
Many people learn an instrument when they are young, and there are lots of amazing corresponding benefits for that child. Unfortunately however, many stop making music after becoming an adult. If that is the case with you, or if you have just never had the wonderful experience of playing an instrument in the first place, it is not too late! There are so many benefits of playing flute in adulthood! It can positively impact many areas of life—physically, mentally, and emotionally!
Physical Benefits of Playing Flute in Adulthood
Playing flute is actually an athletic endeavor in a way and so has many physical health benefits. Obviously, being a wind instrument, there is a lot of practice with breath control. Playing wind instruments can improve your lung capacity, oxygenation of the blood, and respiratory muscles.
Flute players also frequently need to play fast, which means quickly moving your fingers. That leads to increased finger dexterity and joint mobility. While improper playing postures can actually lead to pain and injury (on any instrument), proper free playing can help with conditions like arthritis.
One major benefit to learning an instrument is improvement in brain function. Nothing lights up both hemispheres of your brain like playing an instrument. It creates new neural pathways improving neuroplasticity and actually helps keep your brain from shrinking, which starts to happen after you turn 30. So put down that crossword puzzle and pick up your flute!
Mental Benefits
With improved brain function comes all of the corresponding mental benefits. Adults who study music have a remarkable increase in memory, and the longer they study, the greater the improvement. They are also better at problem-solving and have enhanced creativity. Additionally, there are benefits to concentration and coordination. After all, playing flute is one serious feat of multi-tasking—moving fingers, breathing, tonguing, note reading, counting, and focused listening all at the same time!
Emotional Benefits
Let’s face it, being an adult can be pretty stressful. Playing music has been shown to be a wonderful way to relieve stress. Obviously! It is important in your busy life to take time for yourself and have fun, so make sure you are always playing some music with which you particularly resonate in addition to those all-important scales. Also, playing an instrument can be a form of meditation. Intensely concentrating on the activity at hand can get you in the flow state and take your mind off of the ten thousand other things you are dealing with in your life at the time.
Additionally, flute players are some of the coolest people out there! As adults, we don’t necessarily always get many chances to meet new people and socialize. So playing in an ensemble (FLUTE CHOIR!!!) is a great way to make friends with like-minded individuals.
Who Can Learn to Play Flute as an Adult?
YOU CAN!! Playing flute is a wonderful activity for everyone of all ages. Don’t believe that terrible lie, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. You can’t teach stubborn dogs who don’t try, but for those who are willing to make a real commitment to learning to play, amazing progress can be made.
However, there is one challenge adults need to overcome to learn an instrument, especially beginners. While young student beginners are frequently elated when they honk out Hot Cross Buns, adults usually know exactly what they could and want to sound like, and therefore can feel frustrated quite easily if they don’t play like that right away. So just remember to be patient with yourself and also know that music is a life-long journey—there is always something new to work. That’s why it never gets old!
Whether you played flute when you were young and are restarting after a multi-decade hiatus or if you are learning an instrument for the first time in your life, it is possible for everyone to incorporate music-making into their lives. So go play your flute! 🙂
Need Help Selecting an Instrument?
If you are returning to flute practice after a break, make sure that you get your instrument inspected and adjusted before you start.
If you need to get a flute, the amount of choices out there can be overwhelming, especially for beginners who don’t know about the large variety of options and what they require. If you need help in deciding what kind of instrument is best for you, check out the free course, “Finding Your First or Forever Flute (And How to Make It Last)!“
