5, 6, 7, 8: Here’s How Dancing is a Physical and Mental Workout!
Dancing is more than a hobby or an entertaining performance for viewers. It is a physical and mental workout. Maybe you dance in your room or take classes, and you can’t help but notice feeling great afterward. Did you ever wonder, why? Why is your body energetic and your spirit uplifted? It’s because dancing has physical and mental benefits that exceed your imagination.
The physical benefits of dancing are endless. It requires moving the whole body. When you dance, it can be a surprise to discover muscles you didn’t know exist. They will start hurting, and that’s when you will notice them. It improves posture and helps people float smoothly instead of walk. However, that’s not all it is; there are way more physical benefits to dancing:
Cardiovascular health
The more and faster the movement, the faster the heart beats. Blood starts to pump fast, and the muscles of the heart are forced to adapt and grow stronger. A stronger and healthier heart has direct effects on overall health and wellbeing. Moreover, all kinds of dancing have that effect. Just get moving.
Balance and flexibility
All the wild dance moves help people understand their bodies. When dancers become aware of their bodies and their limits, they can navigate the world better. Dancing provides the body with control over balance and coordination. Not just that, the variety of moves will stretch the body and enhance flexibility. So, get ready for joint mobility and stretchy muscles.
Strong Muscles
Carrying your body weight daily is a workout. However, dancing introduces new possibilities to the body. The broad range of movements dancing requires strengthens all muscles in unimaginable ways. The unused, small muscles that new dancers discover are going to get stronger, leading to a strong and toned body as well!
Strong Bones
It’s not just muscles that carry the body. Bones play a huge part as well. Dancing is a weight-bearing exercise and it helps in building bone density. When dancing, the body is moving and jumping, which puts stress on the bones, leading to growth. It can be specifically beneficial for older people.
Dancing is more than a bodily exercise; it’s also a mental one. There’s a relationship between the mind and the body. Just like when someone is stressed or mentally tired, and their body reflects it, the opposite will happen. When the body is active and doing well, so will be the mind. It helps induce hormones that can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. However, there are way more mental benefits to dancing:
Boosts your mood
When people dance, they solely focus on moving their bodies freely. That act is mostly restrictionless, which automatically feels good. Letting lose like that in your own space helps elevate the mood, so you’d be able to deal with other day-to-day restrictions.
Better cognitive performance
Apparently, studies found out that some muscles in the body are connected to areas in the brain that control memory and skills like organizing and planning. Additionally, regular dancers have 76% lower risks of getting dementia. So for all dancers, you’re going to age well. Just keep doing it.
Stimulates the brain
The energy and coordination needed to control your body don’t come easy. The coordinated orders given to your body activate specific parts in the brain. The connection between the muscles and the brain directly strengthens the neural connection between them. In addition to enhancing focus, it’s a literal mental exercise.
It’s a gratifying social experience
For people who like to dance in groups, whether they’re taking dance classes or dancing with their friends, it can be a social event. Dancing can be a bonding experience, whether it’s with people you just met or your loved ones. You can share a laugh with someone, and it’s fun!
All dancing is good dancing
Those benefits are applicable to all kinds of dancing: ballet, swing, tango, belly dancing, jazz, tap dancing, salsa, or even hip-hop. For example, ballet directly gives a better understanding of footwork and balance. On the other hand, belly dancing is all about core strength, hips, and abs. However, hip-hop moves the whole body, but most importantly, it’s a free form of expression, which is good for the mind.
What are you waiting for? Get moving.
