The Health Benefits of Dancing
Some people dance because they like a song they hear and they’re in a social setting that encourages it. Some people dance because it’s part of their culture. Did you know that dance has some very interesting health benefits?
Researchers at The Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota found that social dancing helps to:
- lower stress
- increase energy levels
- improve physical endurance
- improve physical strength and motor skill ability
Regardless of what style of dancing you prefer to be involved in, The Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) states that regular dancing can:
- lower your chance of heart disease
- lower blood pressure
- help to maintain a healthy weight
- strengthen hips and legs
dancing is an entertaining for of exercise because it provides the healthy benefits of aerobic exercise while also providing a social environment to be active in. Dancing can also stimulate the mind. In one study that was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that dancing can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory loss in the elderly. Participants who were over the age of 70 that were involved in reading, dancing and board games once a week had a 7% lowered chance of developing dementia compared to those who were not. Those who engaged in these activities at a minimum of 11 days a month had a 63% lower risk!
Dancing has been know to increase the flow of blood to the brain, but also from a social standpoint this activity leads to less stress, less lonliness and less depression. Further, dancing requires memorization of steps and working with someone, which provides mental challenges that are stimulating to the brain.
How Good of a Workout is Dancing, really?
The level of benefit a person may get from dancing depends on the type of dance, the level of exersion, the length of time it’s performed and skill level.
Specific Benefits of Different Dances
If you’re looking for specific health results for various types of dance, here are examples of benefits of some popular dances:
Belly Dancing
- improved posture
- improves flexibility
- strengthens lower back
- strengthens and tones arms and shoulders
- aids in weight loss
- helps women prepare for childbirth
- lowers stress
Ballroom Dancing
- great dance for conditioning
- helps to keep the heart healthy
- builds aerobic endurance
- strengthens circulatory system
- firms the legs and body
- improves flexability and balance
- aids in weight loss
- lowers stress
Salsa Dancing
- improves aerobic endurance
- aids in weight loss
- lowers stress
- detoxes the body
- may assist in lowering blood pressure and aid in improving cholesterol levels
- may lower heart rate over time