Rhythm

*Please note- this blog post was written during my time at Brain Fit Academy Inc. I have since continued this amazing work under my own company- Brain FUNdamentals LLC. I hope you enjoy!

Humans are designed to have rhythm. Nature (in all its glory) is full of rhythm and patterns and beautiful chaos. So are our human bodies and brains. 

We are full of natural rhythm and patterns and beautiful chaos. Our brains build beautifully chaotic neural pathways that build our brain from the bottom up. Our brain builds with a timing and rhythm that is unique to each of us, yet from a "blueprint" engrained in our brain and body system. That blueprint has its beginnings in the primitive reflexes- especially those that are present to keep us safe and alive. And, as the primitive reflexes integrate, more voluntary movements can replace them.

And there's rhythm. 

Ah...rhythm. It plays a big role in developing the brain. Have you ever seen a baby rhythmically rocking on their hands and knees? That is the action of the brain and body stimulating the brain through movement. Stimulating the growth of nerve cells and myelination of the nerve fibers. And, in rocking, they are also working to integrate primitive reflexes. Linking up (so to speak) the brain stem with the other parts of the brain. 

Remember, that the brain stem needs to be "linked up" to the other parts of the brain. It needs the brain highways from the brain stem (what we call the Baby Brain) to the "Emotional Brain", the "Thinking Brain" and eventually, to the "Executive Brain" in order for the system to work more efficiently and easily. 

I think we (at least I do) take for granted the fact that nature is designed with patterns, rhythm and timing. If you've never heard of something called the "Fibonacci Sequence"- google it. Google "Fibonacci Sequence in nature". I think you'll be amazed at what you see because that mathematical sequence is present everywhere in nature. And, just like the Fibonacci Sequence- we see rhythm in babies and their movements. 

We also see rhythm in the movements that adults use with babies. What do most people do to soothe a crying baby? We rock them. We stand and rock, we walk around and bounce and rock, or we might use a rocking chair. I mean, rocking chairs are practically a staple in creating a nursery for a newborn! We rock the babies because it's calming and soothing for them. 

Remember how I said that at Brain Fit we talk a lot about babies? This is another time because rhythm is common with babies, but isn't used as much as children get older. 

Rhythm is a type of movement we use at Brain Fit Academy. Many of the rhythmic movements we use at Brain Fit come from a program called "Rhythmic Movement Training". And I will tell you- many of the rhythmic movements we use are among the favorites for kids. For example, one of the movements- the one we call "Milk Shakes" is one that is requested by kids- time and time again.

Why might these rhythmic movements be requested by kids? Well- it makes a lot of sense when you think about babies again. We use rhythm to calm babies, and we can use rhythm to calm older kids (and teens and adults too)! 

Humans are designed to have rhythm and when our brain and body doesn't have the kind of rhythm we need- or maybe we missed some steps somewhere along the way- we crave that rhythm again. At Brain Fit, we recognize that the body knows what it needs and sometimes what it needs is rhythm. I can't even tell you how many times I've done some of the rhythmic movements with kids and they just melt into it. Literally- they could go from talking up a storm (or moving up a storm) to calm in just a minute or less. Rhythm calms the brain. It helps build the pathways between the parts of the brain and many kids we work with need and crave it. 

Nature is beautiful. And it's chaotic, and full of rhythm. We can bring that beauty, wonderful chaos and rhythm back into the brain and body when it needs it. It's not rocket science, but it is powerful stuff. All you need are the right tools and the key to the door.

Brain Fit Academy is where you can find the key- and the tools. There is rhythm waiting to find its way back to where it should be- in the brain and body. Let's help that rhythm find the way. 

Help the rhythm find its way, and in doing so, we can bring back what nature intended- the rhythmic, beautiful chaos of the human brain and body.