4 proven benefits of dancing

Dancing, whether you’ve got rhythm or not, is a primal form of self-expression that can do wonders for our physical and mental wellbeing. It’s an ancient human practice, rooted in ritual and communal expression, inherent to so many cultures around the world.

Rave culture is centred around the dance floor, the music designed to encourage us to move our bodies. How many of us feel lighter after a long night of stomping with our mates? Numerous studies around the world have proven the benefits of dancing, here are four...

BOOSTS CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Giving your body a good solid dance floor workout helps keep the heart in great shape. In fact, an Italian study found that participants who danced had a greater improvement in their heart health than those who took up walking or biking.

IMPROVES FITNESS LEVELS
Not only can you improve your fitness through dancing, but it will also contribute to better agility and balance and improve muscle tone and strength. The UK government recommends at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, among their guidelines is to spend time dancing on two days of the week.

COMBATS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
A Swedish study focused on 112 girls who were suffering from back pain, stress, anxiety and depression. Half of the girls started dancing while the other half did not. Those who took up dancing saw a decrease in anxiety and stress levels. The positive effects lasted about eight months after the study was completed.

STRESS RELIEF
The basic cathartic effect of shaking out your stress is one particularly acknowledged benefit, but there are many others. Happiness, confidence, a decrease in stress hormones and improvement in social skills all stem from dancing.