10 Health Benefits of Playing Drums

Guitars, Music
June 1, 2025

By Kristian

When considering healthy habits or choices, playing an instrument probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind when you’re wanting to make a change. But surprisingly, there are some pretty solid benefits to playing music. It is quite active and demanding physically and mentally. But the most physically demanding would have to be the drums. When playing, you’re using all four limbs and exerting lots of energy and force, especially for more intense genres like rock or metal. In this article, we’re going to look at 10 health benefits of playing the drums.

Cardiovascular Workout

If you look at any live drummer, you can certainly see that they’re putting in work for their cardiovascular system. It is a very physically demanding instrument and requires movement of the entire body, not just the arms or hands, like the guitar. This can be exacerbated more so when playing drums at a higher level, whether that be more technically complicated music or simply something faster and louder than other genres.

The workout you get from drum sessions can be akin to a running or cycling session, where you get your heart rate up for a considerable amount of time, as well as testing your endurance to last from 30-minute sets to up to 60 or 90 minutes, depending on your setlist. I can without a doubt say that my cardio has been tested while playing live; some of the more intense shows I’ve played have left me sweating all over my drum stool and panting between songs.

Stress Relief

In today’s age, stress is a major driving force behind many health issues and is often at the root of many negative health outcomes. The pressure of work, family and other obligations often leaves us grasping at straws to survive. To combat stress, we can do a range of things, like exercise, meditation, going out in nature, but few things can beat smashing some drums for stress reduction.

This can work as a stress reliever because it releases feel-good endorphins, making you more relaxed and refreshed after a session. It’s a similar effect when you exercise or do something physically demanding. Not only that, but simply the cathartic effect of hitting drums is a safe way to just let it all out. Many rehabilitation programs also implement drums or music as an effective stress reliever for those dealing with anxiety, trauma or emotional regulation issues, so it is proven to work.

There is also research stating that being in a flow state is an effective way to relieve stress, which can also happen when you are playing drums. Just note that being in a flow state requires you to have an appropriate level of difficulty. Playing something too hard kicks you out of flow, as it is unattainable, and something too easy is just unstimulating.

Better Coordination

Drums are all about coordination, more so than other instruments, because you’re not only using your hands, but you need to use all four limbs to play. Your whole body is involved and forced to keep it all together for long periods.

This coordination development happens because each limb is doing something completely different. You have your right hand hitting the ride cymbal while the foot is hitting the hi-hat or bass drums and snare can be syncopated in different rhythms, this is an intense task for the brain. Implementing this kind of activity is a great way to develop both gross and fine motor coordination skills, which can translate to better dexterity and multitasking.

Getting better coordination will also result in faster reaction times and muscle memory, which are both things you want to maintain as you get older. It can also help younger players with their early age motor skill development and even help sharpen motor skills. With time, drummers typically report that after some months of playing drums, they feel physically balanced, in tune with their body and more confident in tasks.

Mental Focus and Clarity

While it looks very physical, drums are just as much a mentally challenging activity as it is a physically challenging activity. You’re focusing on a range of aspects such as timing, rhythmic patterns, dynamics and improvisation. While staying in time with a click track or band. Ask anyone who has tried drumming before they will tell you that it is a complicated task that learning the instrument is almost akin to brain training.

The health benefits of the mental aspect of drumming can help with sharpening your attention span, improving cognitive flexibility. While not a remarkable feat by any means, in a world with technology and short attention spans, being able to focus mentally is remarkably rare. The act of counting beats, playing fills and reacting in real time helps the brain to stay present and alert for extended periods.

Boosts Brain Health

What is unique about drumming is that it is one of the few activities that activate both the left and right hemispheres of the brain at the same time. The dual engagement results in neural plasticity, which is essentially the brain’s ability to create new synaptic connections. It is known through research that this helps in improving memory, learning speed and problem-solving skills, being an asset in overall brain health and longevity.

Because of these brain health benefits, studies are being done that are starting to explore how drumming can reduce cognitive decline in adults and brain development in children. Few activities can spark activity in multiple areas of the brain at the same time, which is why drumming, in particular, can be so useful. It is already being used in therapeutic settings for those who have ADHD, parkinsons disease and even stroke recovery.

Burns Calories

This is probably no surprise, but playing drums helps you burn many calories since the activity itself is physically demanding. It is comparable to a moderate cardio workout, and if you’re practising drums for an extended period, you can easily clock up 500-1000 calories relatively easily. When measurements have been done, on average, drummers can burn about 600 calories per hour during performances.

What is great about it, though, is that it is a fun and engaging way you can stay in shape. Most of us despise sitting on a treadmill or doing boring workout sessions. There is no reason working out needs to feel like a chore, and picking up drums can help you get rid of those extra calories easily. Just remember that intensity matters, and the more intense or energetic your music is, the more calories you will burn.

Enhances Social Connections

There is a severely overlooked aspect of health that most of us don’t think about, and that is the social element. We are all encompassing beings, and health is a combination of every aspect of our existence., You can’t only look at diet but ignore exercise or being outdoors, and the same goes for social connection. Human beings are social animals, and having good relationships and connections with others enhances our overall well-being.

When you play drums or any type of music, for example, there is no isolation in this activity. It is something that brings people together, even if you’re a solo act. I can’t count the number of connections I’ve made through music, whether that be in Australia or around the world. It’s a beautiful aspect of music that can also break language barriers because music is a universal language. This not only fosters your mental and emotional health but also strengthens bonds and reduces loneliness if you’re an introverted type.

Promotes Discipline and Patience

I learned many lessons throughout my journey as a drummer, but one of the most important was the lessons of discipline and patience. To become great at any task, you cannot only rely on motivation or doing what you feel like doing at the time. Even though drumming was a passion of mine, it’s not always smooth sailing and improving as a performer has taken years of toil and hard work. These have meant that I need to learn skills such as patience, discipline, routine and consistency.

The most valuable thing for me has been when these character traits have spilled over to other areas of my life. While the task might be different, the process is the same when I begin any endeavour, whether that be my fitness journey, a new sport or skill, or even starting a new job. These traits may not be a direct health benefit, but I can say for certain that having these traits will help you gain new habits and improve your life.

Improves Immune Function

The immune system is intertwined with the rest of your body, and if you’re healthy in general, there’s a good chance your immune system is functioning well. So for the same reason drums is beneficial for regular health is the same reason that playing drums can support immune function. But there has been research in particular that shows that about 30 minutes of playing every day can help enhance the immune system.

The studies mentioned also indicate that rhythm-based activities, in particular, can increase the number of natural killer cells, which are the white blood cells critical in fighting off viruses and cancerous cells. These immune-boosting effects are believed to come from a unique combination of physical and emotional expression and social connection.

Supports Emotional Expression

While stress relief is a great benefit, it doesn’t compare to having an outlet where you can truly express yourself emotionally. This is where all instruments and artistic endeavours can shine. In today’s world, we often feel put into a box, whether it be at our jobs or careers, we cannot just be ourselves. The thing with art and music is that they encourage us to express ourselves emotionally and show the world who we are without holding back.

Playing the drums is powerful when it comes to emotional expression, whether that be anger, sadness or joy, it is a dynamic form of release. It can help you understand your own emotions as well as process them while performing for others. This can be powerful for your mental health because what is expressed in music is usually what is deep in our hearts, and it cannot be faked. This makes it not only a creative pursuit but one relevant for emotional and mental health.

Summary

So there you have it, some surprising health benefits that can occur when you’re playing drums actively as a hobby or even a profession. This instrument is rather unique and all-encompassing. I don’t think you can find too many hobbies with so many mental and physical benefits. So if you want to improve your health while also developing brain longevity, then do yourself a favour, pick up a pair of sticks and make it enjoyable. Rock on.