Playing musical instruments such as guitars and keyboards could be good for you, a study in Norway has found.
Academics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology carried out research in order to assemble health profiles of people in the Scandinavian nation.
Scientists discovered that those people who enjoyed artistic pursuits such as playing a musical instrument tend to be happier overall.
Indeed, music was said to help stave off mental health problems such as depression, regardless of their socio-economic status.
Professor Jostein Holmen, one of the academics behind the study, said: "There is a positive relationship between cultural participation and self-perceived health for both women and men."
Music was also found to have a similar effect on those who do not play instruments but still enjoy cultural pursuits such as going to concerts.
According to figures from Halifax, nearly ten million people in the UK actively play a musical instrument.
