Dancing, the graceful rhythmic movement of the body, usually to the sound of music, is one of the greatest pleasures of life. You can do it for recreation, self-expression, or even as a sport. No matter how you approach it, it is impossible not to feel a sense of happiness while swaying your body in different ways. What’s more, dancing also gives you a pretty great workout, enhancing your physical well-being in the process.
With so many benefits, it makes sense to indulge in this therapeutic activity at least once a week or a few days. Keep reading as we give you 6 compelling reasons to dance every single day.
1. Dancing Promotes Self-Expression
Dance functions as a nonverbal form of communication that boosts confidence and promotes individual self-expression. With its bodily movements, dance gives you a voice, and your facial expressions while dancing allow you to tell a story. Dancing also creates a sense of inclusion and purpose, allowing everyone to become comfortable just as they are.
Luckily, it’s not very difficult to master a particular dance form. You can learn to dance for free online by taking classes from expert dance instructors. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or advanced; there is a suitable class for you. From learning footwork to moving your body to the beat of a rhythm, the classes provide immense value to everyone.
2. Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion
When you dance often with new moves, your body will adapt to them. Dance regularly for just a month, and you’ll find yourself effortlessly holding positions that you never thought were possible! The pre-dance stretching routine, comprising stretching and splits, also works greatly to make your body more flexible.
Barre work, in particular that mixes ballet, Pilates, and yoga, substantially improves not just flexibility, but your overall strength too. The more flexible you are, the lesser your risk of injuring yourself. Moreover, while dancing, you also test the range of motion of your body through different movements that you perform repeatedly. Ultimately, it helps you overcome your existing limits and significantly expand your range of motion.
3. Helps You Lose Weight
Does the thought of losing weight through rigorous exercises at the gym scare you? Fortunately, there’s no need to do that when you can dance! Not only will you lose weight, but you’ll also have so much fun along the way. Some of the best dance forms that are great for weight loss are:
- Zumba that focuses on the whole body.
- Hip-hop, which is mainly for hips and waist.
- Belly dance for hips, buttocks, back, and abs.
- Pole dance for muscle toning and body shaping.
4. Promotes Mental Well-Being
Dance allows you to express yourself. Think about it: you cannot dance well if you are anxious. As you move your body rhythmically, it releases hormones like dopamine, which are known to improve mood and ease depression and anxiety-related symptoms. Dance forms like hip-hop have the same stress-reducing effect that aerobic exercises provide. Regular dance routines can also lower your chances of experiencing mental health disorders. It is because while dancing, the brain’s networking and transmission of chemicals is enhanced, which stabilizes mental health, lowering the likelihood of mental disorders.
5. Improves Heart Health
The American Heart Association lists dancing as an endurance exercise that can boost your heart health. Dancing promotes cardiovascular endurance because it raises your breathing and heart rate. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine has given a study documenting the effect of dance on mortality from heart ailments. The study showed that people who engaged in dancing had almost half (46%) lesser risk of cardiovascular death over a period of 10 years compared to those who occasionally danced. If you want to improve your heart health and live longer, making dance a regular part of your life can be beneficial.
6. Improves the Health of Your Bones
Dancing also serves as an effective exercise to lower osteoporosis risk among individuals. It is highly osteogenic, meaning that it has a high potential to build bone mass. The more bone mass you have, the lower your chances of experiencing osteoporosis. Weight-bearing forms of dance, such as swing and ballet, help maintain bone density. To reap the benefits of dancing to lower osteoporosis risk, ensure to do it regularly and incorporate other forms of weight-bearing exercises alongside.
Summing up
Dancing is a wonderful activity that is good for people of every age. Whether you have a limited range of motion or are a seasoned gymnast, there is a dance form for everyone. So, turn on the music, play your favorite beat, and start dancing your heart out today!
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