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“Dancing has great physical, cognitive and emotional health benefits. In addition to bringing joy for some people, dancing also does positive things for your body and your brain, whether it’s ballroom, Zoomba, salsa, disco, tango, hip hop, swing, tap ballet, or any other kind of dance. You’re improving your physical and mental health and giving a boost to your emotional and social wellbeing. Moving your body to the sound of music can transform your life. Music itself stimulates the brain’s reward centers and dance activates its sensory and motor circuits. Physical inactivity is a key global health challenge. It’s associated with obesity, physical dysfunction, poor quality of life and increased mortality. However, if you can move, you can dance. Dance is exercises. So the physical benefits of dancing are similar to other cardio activities. And unlike the high-impact running or weightlifting dancing is generally gentler on the body. It also improves flexibility.
Eases joint pain and develops muscle tone. Randomized trials have shown that dancing can improve balance, walking, and functional mobility. In addition, the benefits of dance encompass other areas of health, particularly cognitive. One study found that dancing improves visual recognition and decision-making. Other research shows that dance helps reduce stress, stimulates areas of the brain, such as the basal ganglia, increases levels of feel-good hormones like serotonin, and develops new neural connections, particularly in regions involved in executive function, long-term memory and spatial recognition. Studies have shown that dancing can reduce cognitive decline, after cognitive training in elderly persons without dementia. If confirmed, these results may support recommendations for participation in cognitive activities to lower the risk of dementia. That parallel current recommendations for participation in physical exercise to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. And finally, there are emotional benefits for dancing. It can give you a way to express yourself and simply have. Fun dance can help connect and develop social relationships among new and established dancers. And dance often boosts your mood, your mental and emotional health by reducing stress, decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression and boosting your self-esteem.
The benefits of dancing are also important for other medical conditions as well. Research has shown that dancing can help improve patients with Parkinson’s disease, which is a progressive neurological movement disorder. Dance therapy, particularly in fixed rhythms to regulate movement in patients with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, find that this technique provides significant improvements in gait and upper extremity function among participants. In another study from the New England Journal of Medicine, dancing was one of the best leisure activities that led to reduced risk of dementia. Whether you’re 80 years, young or eight years old, engaging in physical activities that involve dance has potential health benefits to your health. So join the beginner dance class, or just have a dance party at home. Whatever you do, get moving.”
