DANCE!

“GET IT ON THE FLOOR, GET IT, GET IT ON THE FLOOR”

READING THROUGH MY WOMENS HEALTH MAGAZINE THIS MONTH I FOUND A VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE ABOUT DANCING. SUPRISINGLY, THE MORE TIME YOU SPEND ON THE DANCE FLOOR, THE MORE YOU OPEN YOUR BRAIN TO THOSE FEEL GOOD SENSATIONS THAT DO WONDERS FOR YOUR WELLBEING. MANY STUDIES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED TO SUPPORT THESE FINDINGS INCLUDING A STUDY THAT INVESTIGATED HEART FAILURE. IT FOUND THAT PEOPLE WITH CARDIAC CONDITIONS WHO DANCED FOR ONLY 20 MINUTES THREE TIMES A WEEK INCREASED THEIR HEART HEALTH SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN INDIVIDUALS WHO STUCK TO TRADITIONAL CARDIO WORKOUTS.

COMPARING DANCERS VS. NONDANCERS, THE SECOND STUDY FOUND THAT DANCING STRENGTHENS YOUR SKELETON AS WELL AS YOUR OVERALL MAKEUP. THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE DANCING PRESERVES BOTH MOTOR SKILLS AND PERCEPTUAL ABILITIES THROUGH THE FLOW OF CHEMICALS THAT ARE RELEASED TO RAISE YOUR MENTAL STATE.

THE THIRD STUDY LISTED IN THE ARTICLE, BY THE ARTS IN PSYCHOTHERAPY, FOUND THAT DANCING DECREASES DEPRESSION MORE THAN VIGOROUS EXERCISE OR LISTENING TO UPBEAT MUSIC BECAUSE IT CAUSES LESS STRESS, INCREASES SOCIAL INTERACTION, AS WELL AS ENHANCES BOTH YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSCIAL HEALTH. DANCING TARGETS OUR BRAIN AND GIVES YOUR MEMORY, COORDINATION, AND FOCUS AREAS A WORKOUT.

LASTLY, THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE DID A STUDY ON 11 PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AND SUPRISINGLY DANCERS’ BRAINS WERE FOUND TO BE SHARPER IN THE SHORT TERM AND WERE AT LOWER RISK OF ACQUIRING BRAIN DISEASE. THIS WAS CONCLUDED BECAUSE EVIDENCE FOUND THAT DANCING WAS THE ONLY ACTIVITY THAT LOWERED DEMENTIA BY 76%.

SO DON’T BE AFRAID TO BUST A MOVE AND HAVE SOME FUN! WHETHER IT IS ROCKING OUT TO YOUR FAVORITE SONG WHILE CLEANING YOUR CLOSET OR JOINING A CLASS THAT HAS ALWAYS INTERESTED YOU. YOUR BRAIN WILL GET STRONGER AND YOU WILL FEEL REVIVED WITH JUST 20 TO 30 MINUTES OF DANCING YOUR TAIL OFF!!

                                                                     DANCE

 

1.     BEST FOR NEWBIES = LINE DANCING

2.     BEST FOR BURNING CALORIES = ZUMBA

3.     BEST FOR BOOSTING YOUR MOOD = SWING DANCING

4.     BEST FOR STRENGTH = POLE DANCING

5.     BEST FOR STRESS RELIEF = DIY

*WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF DANCING TAKE A LOOK AT THE SEPTEMBER EDITION OF WOMENS HEALTH MAGAZINE