Most of us have taken dance classes or danced at a party. Have you noticed how energetic and happy you feel during and after the dance?

It’s no coincidence that dancing has become such a popular topic. Not only is it great for social purposes but it also has some fascinating beneficial effects on mental and physical health.

Here are 5 (scientifically researched) facts on why dancing benefits your health:

1. It boosts memory – It might not be your first thought concerning dancing but if you think about it, it’s pretty amazing how much goes into dancing. While dancing you are using your eye-hand coordination, you are counting beats, men are leading and thinking about their steps at the same time, ladies are taking their steps, letting themselves be led and doing their lady styling, you are enjoying the dance and the music. This is great practice for the brain and would make sense that it improves the memory among other things.

http://neuro.hms.harvard.edu/harvard-mahoney-neuroscience-institute/brain-newsletter/and-brain-series/dancing-and-brain

2. Lowers the risk of heart disease – Your lower body is working, your hips, your heart is beating to the rhythm of the music and you are simply feeling ALIVE, a better question would be how could it NOT be good for your heart? Dancing is like our natural happy pill and stress reliever.

https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/newscentre/news_centre/story_archive/2016/study_finds_dancing_halves_chance_of_death_from_cardiovascular_disease

3. Weight loss – Have you heard the story about the teacher Ron Tarver that lost 100 pounds by dancing? It’s nothing new that through activating your body you burn calories. By raising the pulse and making your heart work your body start consuming calories. One of my personal reasons for dancing is exactly for the weight loss perks besides from it being one of the most entertaining things to do.

4. Reduces stress and depression – First of all music and dance goes hand in hand, both have a very positive effect on the brain. According to studies music evokes feelings and can even be used as a therapeutic treatment. And dancing helps us to be creative and when the body feels good our minds feel good.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/therese-borchard-sanity-break/music-therapy-to-relieve-depression/

http://time.com/4828793/dancing-dance-aerobic-exercise/

5. Helps you make friends – Personally I feel this might be one of the most important points, if you aren’t the most confident person in the world and have difficulty making connection with new people, then dancing is great common ground where you almost inevitably will make new acquaintances. It’s not a cliché like in the movies where you are afraid to be rejected if you invite someone for a dance, when social dancing it’s actually EXPECTED of you to invite others to dance.

– on a side note this also works as a self-esteem boost and the better you get at dancing the more confidence you will have on the dance floor.

Kristoffer Avendaño

Guest Blogger