Drumming For Health

by drumtay

I just read a really interesting article about a training seminar called HealthRhythms, which brings people from all walks of life together to make music and improve health. The 3-day event which occurs five times a year was developed by neurologist Dr. Barry Bittman and innovator Remo Belli with the goal of teaching people the health benefits of drumming and how to organize drum circles of their own.

According to Christine Stevens, a music therapist and co-facilitator of HealthRhythms, drumming can, “improve the immune system and mood, as well as reduce stress and burnout.” And the best part is that pretty much anyone can do participate. “You don’t have to be musical to lead a drum circle,” said Stevens. “You don’t even have to be an adult. Caring is the most important thing. We don’t think of drumming as performing. We think of it as health care,” Stevens said.

People who attended the training seminar have mentioned a variety of reasons they would like to form a drum circle of their own. Some want to form a group for cancer patients and others for corporate employees. The underlying idea is that music makes people feel good and “it’s a non-pharmaceutical way to enhance your mood.” The great thing about the seminar is that it teaches attendees how to work with groups of people, how to get them to relax and enjoy the music.

While I found all of this information from the article very interesting, it was not a surprise to me. I have benefited from these effects of drumming for years. I never skip a practice because I’m stressed or in a bad mood because I know that drumming will help me get it all out. It might be cool to head out to a drum circle sometime and share the energy with a group of like-minded people. Could be just what I need.

For more information about research done on the health benefits of drumming, visit www.remo.com/health.