Dancing is a low-impact aerobic activity that can boost your metabolism. An Australian study which gathered data from 48,000 people found that this group was better protected from heart disease. These benefits have been seen across a variety of ages and demographics. With shows like Dancing With the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance in full swing, dancing is becoming one of America’s favorite pastimes. Swedish researchers studied more than 100 teenage girls who were struggling with issues like depression and anxiety. But dance also comes with other health benefits like better mood, less anxiety and a sharper brain. As the topic of mental health becomes more and more prevalent in today’s society, an increasing amount of research surrounding the positive effects of dance on mental health … Keep a 2-pound or 5-pound weight in each hand while doing your dance routine. Doctors and researchers from the International University of Health and Welfare, Japan, and Iwatsuki Minami Hospital, Japan have found in their 2018 research study that low-impact dance is a useful exercise for people with cardiovascular disease. Protects Cardiovascular Health. Try dancing at home by following along with a DVD or videos on YouTube. Dance improves your heart health, overall muscle strength, balance and coordination, and reduces depression. Dancing is an interesting way of keeping your heart and lungs healthy. A lifestyle highly infused with partnered dancing can produce even stronger mental health benefits. Ballroom Dancing May Help Mind, Body, and Spirit. But aside from the perks associated any heart-pounding activity, dancing has a cardio edge with unique benefits that actually can't be achieved by other low-impact exercises. In just thirty minutes of dancing, you can burn anywhere between 200-400 calories. Dancing is often considered a recreational activity and all too often overlooked for the positive physical, mental and social health qualities. Like any good, low-impact cardio workout, dancing can improve cardiovascular health, increase stamina, strengthen bones and muscles and stave off illnesses. There is even National Dance Day, which was started in 2010 to “encourage Americans to embrace dance as a fun and positive way to maintain health and fight obesity.”. Dance, in fact, has such beneficial effects on the brain that it is now being used to treat people with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological movement disorder. Dancing Your Way to Better Health. Dancing burns lots of calories. From the WebMD Archives. In fact, when compared to people who rarely or never danced, they had a 46% lower risk of cardiovascular death. For an extra challenge, try using small weights to build strength. The partnered benefits can also decrease loneliness for the elderly. How many of those who are ballroom dancing, doing the foxtrot, break dancing, doing the foxtrot, break dancing, or line dancing, realize that they are doing something positive for their bodies—and their brains? Heart health is also improved with regular dancing. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this week we’ll look into the positive correlation between dance, and mental health. Get the latest information on sex including sex tips, intimacy advice, sexuality, sex positions, the best sex toy recommendations, and more. Through the neuroscience-of-dance lens, a 2016 article by Peter Lovatt, “This Is Why We Dance,” sums up how the human brain choreographs the movement of 600-plus muscles while dancing… Burns Fat. Easy-to-follow, free exercise videos are available at the National Institute on Aging’s Go4Life YouTube channel. Using small weights to build strength also comes with other health benefits like better mood, less anxiety and sharper! 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