How learning music benefits the brain and body

We all know how music can move us. But what if playing it could also change how your brain ages, and how you cope with a bad week?

The benefits of learning music go well beyond creativity. A growing body of research links playing an instrument with sharper thinking, lower stress and a healthier brain in later life. Some of that evidence is strong, some of it is early, and a few popular claims don't hold up as well as they're usually made to sound. This article sorts one from the other.