Whether you sway to your favorite jam in a car or flaunt your moves on the dance floor, dancing is a great activity that is enjoyed differently by everyone. Fortunately, dancing is not just an art that will make you smile; it is an exercise that will improve both your physical, mental, and heart health.
Regardless of who you are, dancing is an excellent exercise that will keep your mind and muscles working. Your heart is the most special muscle in the body. In this post, we will discuss the link between dancing and heart health. Read on to learn more.
Heart health benefits of dancing.
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Dancing is an interval exercise.
Dancing is a complete body exercise that’s actually fun. As a physical activity, dancing is classified under interval training-a type of training that involves performing many short bursts of intense activity alongside taking longer resting time.
You don’t necessarily have to run a track, use a machine, or supplements to get a workout; dancing engages many muscle groups making you sweaty and slightly out of breath, keeping your circulation systems open.
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Dancing builds social connections.
Connecting with a regular person or group of people helps you reduce stress while bonding. In any medical practice, receiving love and support is essential for good health in an equal portion as giving love and support.
It is advisable that if you don’t have a group or a partner to go to, you should book dance classes. These classes will help you learn new things and help you become creative in different facets of life while reducing the risks of cardiovascular problems.
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Dancing is brain food.
It is always said that reading and doing crossword puzzles are most effective in reducing dementia-related symptoms like a personality change, memory disorders, or impaired reasoning.
However, in a study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine, dancing emerged as the winner, an ideal solution to dementia. 75% of the 500 recruited people who danced frequently showed lower chances of dementia than those who never engaged in any hobby.
Other activities such as filling crossword puzzles and reading reduce the chances of dementia by 47% and 35%, respectively.
You may wonder how dancing can beat high-level intelligent activities. According to Richard Powers, a dance instructor at Stanford University, dance moves such as foxtrot, waltz, rumba, or swing require split-second decision-making for both women and men. Simply put, you are thinking and moving at the same time.
General dancing tips you need to know.
If you think it is high time to start dancing, follow the suggestions discussed below.
- Consult your doctor if you are overweight, unfit, above forty years, or a check for a medical condition.
- Drink a lot of water before, during, and after sessions.
- Wear clothes that you can easily take off as your body starts heating up.
- Do warm body exercises and activities before you start dancing.
- Wear professionally fitting shoes depending on your preferred dance style.
- Don’t push yourself harder or faster, especially if you are a beginner.
- Confirm with your instructor if you are correctly grasping the moves.
Currently, many gyms are offering dance classes in Nia-a dance style that combine martial arts and dance to give you time for cardio, balance practice, and muscle-building. On the other hand, Zumba sessions mix dance and Latin and different world rhythms.
Following your instructors’ moves will keep your concentration coordination in check, but freestyle dancing is considered better brain food.
Conclusion.
Though little is known if the cardiovascular benefits vary with the type of activity, dance is an all-dimensional physical activity of social nature. And like other types of body exercises, dancing has a lot of benefits to heart health.
Apart from being a form of interval training, dancing is a food brain; it reduces dementia-related symptoms like a personality change, memory disorders, and impaired reasoning.
Also, dancing fosters social connections while reducing stress. It allows you to meet with regular partners or groups where you can vent your feelings and stress in a fun way hence minimizing the risks of developing heart-related problems.
