Dance Your Way to Better Health

We’ve known for a long time that the more you enjoy your healthier lifestyle, the better chances you’ll have of making health habits that can last a lifetime.

Over seven years ago, my wife Nancy and I took up ballroom dancing and immediately got hooked. It has been life-changing.

I love dance because it checks all the boxes for good health – helping us be physically active, control blood pressure and blood sugar, improve mood, posture, balance, coordination, and fitness, and joining a social community of like-minded people who have a singular focus – to have fun and enjoy!

And best of all it demands that you be fully present in the moment, a luxury that keeps us coming back for more.

Dance can bring better health and more fun to your life.

According to a new book, Dancing is the Best Medicine: The Science of How Moving to a Beat is Good for Body, Brain, and Soul, written by two neuroscientists (and dancers!), Julia F. Christensen and Dong-Seon Chang,

“Dance is an antidote to stress, a way to combat emotions, an elixir for the body, mind and brain. Dancing also makes us happy; it lowers cortisol levels and releases feel good hormones.”

Since dance can be done at any age or fitness level and whether you’re a single or a couple, I wanted to share the many opportunities that exist for those interested.

1-Turn Up the Music and Dance like No One’s Watching

You don’t need to be a ballroom dancer to have fun.

At any time of day or night, you can turn on music and move your body to the different beats and work up a sweat.

We’ve been doing this with our grandchildren since they were born. Even our 14-month old grandson was able to copy us and shake his booty to the music with a big smile on his face.

Finding opportunities to move more in our world where so many of us spend too much time sitting is a worthwhile health goal for everyone.

2-Explore Dance Classes/ Studios in Your Community

Some health clubs or community park districts do have dance-related classes, whether it’s Zumba or dance aerobics.

I also encourage you to check out dance studios in your community.

Arthur Murray is the dance studio we found in our neighborhood that changed our lives for the better. It’s a fabulous community that welcomes singles and couples, offering 1 on 1 private lessons as well as group classes.

You can find Arthur Murray Dance Studios around the world.

3-Go Online

A benefit of the pandemic is that you can now find all kinds of dance classes online that can be done from the comforts of your own home.

Salsa, swing, cha cha, rumba, tango and merengue are just a small example of the myriad dance classes you can find online.

And if you are not ready to join a class yet, you can also search YouTube for your favorite dance and start to learn the basic moves.

Whether you dance to music at home as a way to get your body moving, try an online dance class or do some trial lessons at a nearby dance studio, many opportunities exist to pursue dance while bringing better health and more fun to your life.

Happy dancing!

RK

Robert Kushner, MD

 

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