Why dancing can transform your mood (with Movement Is Medicine)

Dancing is a cornerstone of rave culture. Moving your body to music, letting loose and expressing yourself to the rhythm of the beats, is cathartic.

@emma.the.alchemist is the founder of @movementismedicine.uk, an enterprise that explores neuroscience to understand how dance and music release stress. A recent review* published in the journal Sports Medicine found dancing to be highly beneficial for mental health. Here Emma explains why she thinks that is…

GETS YOU OUT OF “FREEZE”
When people go through something stressful or traumatic, they can go into a stress response - like fight or flight - called ‘freeze’. Freeze impacts how we process stress and trauma, making us shut down. Being stuck in a freeze state can cause depression-like responses, i.e. overwhelmed and unable to take action.

ACTIVATING SENSORY INPUT
The processing of your sensory input creates your perception of the world. Movement alongside sound and touch help to modulate your nervous system and recalibrate the stress cycle, because your mind and body become more attuned to the reality of your senses and that you’re safe. You’re anchored and connected to the present moment, which promotes the production of hormones and neurotransmitters that activate this response.

MOVEMENT CAN IMPACT HOW YOU FEEL
If you feel like you can barely even move, put some music on that has a percussion, sit on the floor and tap across different parts of your body while moving to the rhythm of the music. Find your rhythm. We call it Tap & Move. By combining touch, music and movement you’re activating your vagus nerve, which in turn releases stress and tension from your mind and body and brings you into the present moment.

CATHARSIS
Raving helps alleviate stress, because movement is medicine. Once you take action, even the smallest movements to music, you’re helping your mind and body to process and counteract the negative impact of our sedentary lifestyle.