Most people are unable to meet even half the recommended daily exercise amount. It’s so important for our health, though! Our bodies are not designed to be still for long periods of time, unless we are sleeping. Still, we spend a large part of our days sitting in front of computers at work or lying down on the couch all day. It’s no wonder that obesity is rampant and more and more people are complaining about back pain.
While there is a wide selection of exercises available, one particularly fun activity to keep you fit and healthy is dancing. Not only does dancing keep you physically fit, it can also boost your mental health.
It’s not easy to change the amount of time we spend in the office without drastically changing our careers. Sometimes the best way to be more active is to increase the amount of things we do once we’ve clocked out and gone home. This is why dancing is such a good option.
What is Dance?
Dance is a physical activity boosts your health and lets you have fun at the same time. It can be especially appealing to those who want to exercise but don’t necessarily enjoy the typical forms of exercise like running or weight training. Dancing has helped prevent, treat and manage many health conditions.
As previously touched on, dance also helps improve mental health and support social communication. Pretty much every culture integrates dance into their history, some of which are more collaborative, spiritual, expressive or simply help get your body moving. Dance has long been a subject of scrutiny for its health benefits, and although it is an incredible form of cardio, there are also risks associated with it if not done correctly.
Types of Dance
There are a number of styles of dance, each of which is uniquely amazing and capable of improving your health. Here are some of the most popular dance styles:
- Tap dancing
- Square dancing
- Salsa
- Pole dancing
- Jazz
- Hip-hop dancing
- Belly dancing
- Ballroom dancing
- Ballet dancing
Tips for Dancing
If you are thinking about taking some dancing lessons, here are some suggestions you might want to consider:
- Have a checkup to see if you have any underlying medical conditions
- Wear comfortable clothes
- Do warm-ups and stretches before beginning a vigorous dance routine to prevent injury
- Drink a lot of water
- Make sure to rest between each and every session
- Don’t push yourself too much
- Perform regular leg-strengthening exercises
- Move as fluently and gracefully as you can
- Cool down after your dance sessions to prevent injury and ease stiffness
Health Benefits of Dancing
Dancing is a nice way to get fit or stay fit. It appeals to all, not just a people of a certain age, size or shape.
Here are some of the best health benefits of dancing:
- Improved social skills
- Higher self-esteem and self-confidence
- Improved psychological and general well-being
- Improved mental health
- Increased physical confidence
- Improved spatial and balance awareness
- Better coordination, flexibility and agility
- Reduced risk of osteoporosis and stronger bones
- Weight management
- Improved muscle strength and tone
- Increased aerobic fitness
- Increased motor fitness, endurance and muscular strength
- Improved heart and lungs conditions
Mental Health Benefits of Dancing
Dancing has constantly shown a lot of positive impacts on mental health. One example of this is a Swedish study that shows dancing has higher rates of adherence to exercise and creates a more positive experience overall. It can help people cope with stress, anxiety and even depression.
Not only that, dancing can also improve symptoms of dementia or even prevent the illness. It improves mental capacities and thinking capabilities, which is one of its best health benefits. The more a person dances, the more they will improve their cognitive function.
There are also a number of cultures who agree that dance improves the mind and body connection, thus making it useful for those who are emotionally challenged. Dance allows you to connect with your inner self.
