Turns Out Our Listening Habits Might Be Doing More Than Pleasing Our Ears…

I just came across a Monash University led study that I thought this community would appreciate, especially those of us who’ve racked up hundreds (…or thousands 😅) of hours spinning records, streaming playlists, and noodling on instruments over the years.

Researchers looked at 10,800+ adults aged 70+ and found some pretty striking correlations:

Regular music listening (“always”) = 39% lower risk of dementia
(compared to folks who “never/rarely/sometimes” listen)
Playing an instrument = 35% lower dementia risk
Music listening also linked to a 17% lower rate of cognitive impairment and better overall cognition + episodic memory
Doing both listening + playing? 33% decreased dementia risk + 22% lower cognitive impairment.

The data came from the ASPREE and ALSOP studies, and while it can’t prove causation, the researchers point out that cognitive aging isn’t just genetics, lifestyle matters just as much. And it turns out music might be one of the most accessible, enjoyable “interventions” we have.

Professor Joanne Ryan summed it up nicely: as lifespans get longer, preventing or delaying dementia becomes critical and habits like listening to or playing music may support healthier brain aging.

So yeah…

All those hours we’ve spent chasing better sound, tweaking gear, and playing music might actually be doing our brains a favor.

Not a bad justification for the next upgrade either. 😉

Do you feel your listening sessions are mentally stimulating or “therapeutic”? Anyone here notice differences in focus, memory, or mood depending on how much you listen or play?

Happy listening and apparently, healthy listening too. 🎶🧠

lalitk11-27-2025 4:36pm

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mahgister Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 15,054 posts 11-30-2025 at 03:11pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Half of my time is listening again sometimes for 60 years straight the same music... half of my time is discovering new music not only from jazz and classical but from non Western music.... Listening the same albums only is obsession&nostalgia , or only listening new albums is distraction and consumerism of commercial music ... We cannot listen Bach "art of the fugue" with one listening or three in the same interpretative circumstances ...it must be repeated regularly ... We cannot discover sitar music as a curiosity and coming back to "pop" forgetting sitar...Sitar,veena,sarangi, tanbur, ud, etc ask for regular listening sessions... Listening music is the art of attention but also of concentration... it is the same with poetry reading by the way .... As for music ideally we must play and listen, in poetry case we must write and read poetry, regularly ....( i dont play a musical instrument alas! but i wrote and read poetry in French ) if you dont like poetry, mathematics and music, at least two of them forget thinking.... Music do well for health but do way more for thinking if we listen to understand not only to sleep ...
jrareform Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 197 posts 11-30-2025 at 05:08pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @gents roger lol - always wanna check on fellow AGer's mental health haha. Your joke is now received @mahgister 100% agreed - deep diving music takes multiple repeated sessions otherwise you may miss the overall feel. One of my favorite bands, The Flower Kings, is one of these where you must listen multiple times to really get the full feel of the music. It's about more than a moment but how the composition tells a story and takes your emotions for a ride. Without proper attention and regular listening, most of the intent of the music can be lost. Highly recommend The Flower Kings btw for anyone that likes prog. Retropolis is a great album to start with
tomcarr Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,818 posts 12-02-2025 at 04:00pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Thank you for sharing that @lalitk . Yes, I have long realized the mental health benefits of listening to music. To all of us- Enjoy your listening!
jjss49 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 6,926 posts 12-02-2025 at 04:27pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @lalitk thanks for this ... all i needed to justify buying that 18 grand lampizator ... happy holidays!!!
lalitk OP Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 6,183 posts 12-02-2025 at 04:38pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @tomcarr You’re welcome! Lights are up and the days are a bit busy, but the music keeps me grounded. @jjss49 Treating yourself to that component you’ve been eyeing is optional… but highly recommended 😄 Here’s to enjoying the holiday season one song at a time.