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The
Health Benefits of Dancing -- Including Specific Benefits of Different
Dances
By: B. SixWise
If
you secretly sashay across your living room when you're home alone
or long to cha-cha with your significant other, you're in luck.
Not only is dancing an exceptional way to let loose and have fun,
but it also provides some terrific benefits for your health.
In
fact, Mayo Clinic researchers reported that social dancing helps
to: Reduce stress Increase energy Improve strength Increase muscle
tone and coordination
And
whether you like to kick up your heals to hip hop, classical or
country, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) says
that dancing can: Lower your risk of coronary heart disease; Decrease
blood pressure; Help you manage your weight; Strengthen the bones
of your legs and hips.
Dancing
is a unique form of exercise because it provides the heart-healthy
benefits of an aerobic exercise while also allowing you to engage
in a social activity. This is especially stimulating to the mind,
and one 21-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine
even found dancing can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and
other forms of dementia in the elderly.
In
the study, participants over the age of 75 who engaged in reading,
dancing and playing musical instruments and board games once a week
had a 7 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those who did
not. Those who engaged in these activities at least 11 days a month
had a 63 percent lower risk!
Interestingly,
dancing was the only physical activity out of 11 in the study that
was associated with a lower risk of dementia. Said Joe Verghese,
a neurologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a lead
researcher of the study, "This is perhaps because dance music
engages the dancer's mind."
Verghese
says dancing may be a triple benefit for the brain. Not only does
the physical aspect of dancing increase blood flow to the brain,
but also the social aspect of the activity leads to less stress,
depression and loneliness. Further, dancing requires memorizing
steps and working with a partner, both of which provide mental challenges
that are crucial for brain health.
How
Good of a Workout is Dancing, Really?
The
amount of benefit you get from dancing depends on, like most exercises,
the type of dancing you're doing, how strenuous it is, the duration
and your skill level.
Says
exercise physiologist Catherine Cram, MS, of Comprehensive Fitness
Consulting in Middleton, Wisconsin, "Once someone gets to the
point where they're getting their heart rate up, they're actually
getting a terrific workout. Dance is a weight-bearing activity,
which builds bones. It's also "wonderful" for your upper
body and strength."
Plus,
dancing requires using muscles that you may not even know you had.
"If
you're dancing the foxtrot, you're taking long, sweeping steps backwards.
That's very different than walking forward on a treadmill or taking
a jog around the neighborhood ... Ballroom dancing works the backs
of the thighs and buttock muscles differently from many other types
of exercise," says Ken Richards, professional dancer and spokesman
for USA Dance, the national governing body of DanceSport (competitive
ballroom dancing).
Specific
Benefits of Different Dances
If
you're looking for specific health results, here's a breakdown of
the benefits of some popular dances. Just remember that any type
of dancing is better than no dancing at all!
Belly Dancing Improved posture and muscle toning Maintains flexibility
Helps prevent lower back problems Tones and firms arms and shoulders
Helps with weight loss Helps prepare women for childbirth Reduces
stress
Dancing
Off Those Calories
How
many calories will you burn while dancing? That depends on the type
of dancing. Here's a range of some of the most popular varieties,
based on a 150-pound person, per hour: Swing dancing: 235 calories/hour
Ballroom dancing: 265 Square dancing: 280 Ballet: 300 Belly dancing:
380 Salsa dancing: 420+ Aerobic dancing: 540+
Ballroom
Dancing Conditions the body Helps keep the heart in shape Builds
and increases stamina Develops the circulatory system Strengthens
and tones legs and body Increases flexibility and balance Helps
with weight loss Relieves stress
Salsa
Dancing Builds endurance and stamina Helps with weight loss Relieves
stress Helps you release toxins via sweating May help lower blood
pressure and improve cholesterol levels Can lead to a reduced heart
rate over time
Square
Dancing Provides cardiovascular conditioning May lead to a slower
heart rate, lower blood pressure and an improved cholesterol profile
Strengthens bones Helps you develop strong social ties Loosens and
tones muscles
Physical
benefits aside, dancing has a way of brightening up a person's day,
says ballroom owner and operator Karen Tebeau.
"A
lot of times, when people come into the studio, it's because there's
been a change in their life: a divorce or they've been through a
period of depression. They (continue) coming in, and you see a big
change. After a while, they're walking in with a sunny expression.
You know it's the dancing that's doing that," she says.
This
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