Seniors Who Listen To Music May Slash Their Dementia Risk By Over A Third

Seniors Who Listen To Music May Slash Their Dementia Risk By Over A Third

Seniors Who Listen To Music May Slash Their Dementia Risk By Over A Third Credit: Getty Images for Unsplash+ Older people who listen to music often slash their risk of dementia by more than a third, according to a new study. The researchers studied people over the age of 70 and found that listening to music—or playing an instrument—is linked to a reduction of up to 39% in the chances of developing the debilitating condition. Increases in life expectancy due to advances in medicine and technology have seen a rise in the prevalence of age‐related diseases, including dementia and cognitive decline. The new study, involving more than 10,800 older people, looked at the benefits of listening to or playing music. The findings showed that always listening to music—compared with never, rarely, or sometimes doing so—was associated with a 39% decreased risk of dementia. Playing an instrument was associated with a 35% reduction in dementia risk, according to the study published in the International Jour…