Dance Instructors Can Help You Reap The Many Health Benefits Of Dancing


by Gwen Cuizon - Date: 2010-08-25 - Word Count: 776 Share This!

Dance instructors are gifted with so much talent and zest for dancing that they cannot help but express their love for it. The good news is dance enthusiasts can reap a number of health benefits just by indulging in this creative activity. Dancing, for instance, is not only a great physical exercise but a wonderful way to relieve stress also.

The multiple benefits of dancing are well documented. Dancing can increase the serotonin levels which can reduce stress levels and minimize depression. It is a wonderful way to do physical exercise. It helps improve the
cardiovascular system also. However, there is one little known fact about dancing which makes it truly beneficial - it makes you smarter.

Mental Benefits

Not all people know that dancing can make you smarter and less prone to dementia. This is the findings of a study conducted by Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. The result reveals that frequent dancing can stimulate one's mind and prevent dementia such as the devastating effects of Alzheimer's.

Certain activities whether physical or cognitive can influence mental acuity. Some activities can offer huge benefits while others do not. Cognitive activities which were part of the study include reading books, writing, answering crossword puzzles, playing cards and using musical instruments. Physical activities that were studied include swimming, walking, playing tennis, golfing, doing household chores and of course, dancing.

The result shows that the physical activities cannot help prevent dementia. They can help with the cardiovascular needs of the person but the main focus of the study is their effects on the mind. Surprisingly, there is only one physical activity that shows a lot promise in warding off dementia - dancing frequently.

How Dancing Helps

Dancing can reduce the chances of dementia more than any other activity in the study whether physical or cognitive. The risk is cut off by up to 76%. Frequent reading and doing crossword puzzles can only cut the risks by 35% and 47% respectively.

The cerebral cortex and hippocampus are elastic components of the brain. They can rewire the neural pathways depending on how you utilize them. And, in this instance, dancing is found to improve the cognitive reserve and better
complexity of the synapses in the brain's neurons.

People who build many neuronal pathways will be able to utilize several paths once the other brain cells die. This is the reason why it is necessary for us to create new paths and maintain the neuronal synapses. This is where dancing
regularly can help you.

Dancing does this seeming feat by helping you make split second decisions. This is the kind of dancing that is beneficial in reducing dementia. This will stimulate the creation of neuronal pathways and increase cognitive reserves. The reason for this is dancing makes use of various brain functions at the same time. Dancing utilizes the thought, musical, feelings and kinesthetic processes.

Another way to lower dementia risks is to learn a new thing all the time even if you do not use this knowledge. Classes that are difficult are helpful as the brain is forced to require and create new neural paths.

Kind of Dancing

Take classes from dance instructors where you are allowed to make split second decisions. This is the most vital requirement in dancing that can help maintain and develop true

intelligence. The participants in the study were senior citizens in 1980s. Therefore, the kind of dance they were exposed to and most probably do frequently is freestyle social dancing. This kind of dancing combines basic swing, waltz, foxtrot and Latin moves.

To preserve mental acuity, dancing that require more decision-making processes are better. The follower role is beneficial as you are forced to make split second decisions on what steps to take next. You also learn to interpret signals from your partner which keep the mind active.

Dancing with different partners is also advantageous. This will force you to do adjustments each time. Also, you notice more variables. This will help one stay smarter.

The leader role which is usually played by men can also make split second decisions by: 1). staying alert on the partner's needs and what will work for her. (2). Avoid doing same dance routine each time. Experiment on different
dancing moves. The more decisions you make the better. (3). And lastly, dance frequently.

So don your dancing shoes and head to dance classes. Do you want to learn the techniques of salsa or master the art of seduction in a Merengue? Create new cognitive reserves by learning something new each day. If you do not use intelligence, you lose it. Dance creatively and often. Whatever purpose you have for dancing, your dance instructors are there to help you.

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