10 Scientifically Proven Reasons You Should Play Guitar

Last year, Men's Health reporter Will Levith posted a feature called "10 Scientific Reasons You Should Play the Guitar: A Six-String Solution for a Healthier Mind, Body and Libido."

Obviously, we figured our readers might be interested in this sort of thing.

The story suggests that the guitar might "be as powerful as anything inside the medicine cabinet. Strapping on a Fender could boost your brainpower, sex life, six-pack and more."

You can read the entire story right here.

In the meantime, here are a few of the reasons playing guitar is good for your health, according to the original story:

01. Feel Serious Pleasure: According to a neuroscientific study from McGill University, hearing music triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, the same chemical released during sex. That’s like musical masturbation.

02. Wave Away Stress: A dual study from the Mind-Body Wellness Center and Loma Linda University School of Medicine and Applied Biosystems found that stress can be reduced on a genomic level by playing an instrument.

03. Send Pain Packing: According to a study from the University of Utah’s Pain Research Center, listening to music—in this case, your own guitar playing—can take your mind off, and thereby reduce, pain.

04. Sharpen Your Mind: A Scottish study says if you play the guitar—or any instrument—you’re more likely to have sharper brain function, which can help guard against future mental decline.

05. Toughen Your Heart: Researchers from the Netherlands found that patients who practiced music for more than 100 minutes a day showed a significant drop in blood pressure and a lower heart rate than people who didn’t.

For the other four reasons (and more), head to the original story on menshealth.com.

And stay healthy!