by Sharon Quercioli
Boy, I love to dance. It puts me in my happy place!
As we start to age, certain changes start to affect us—both physical and mental. With diseases like Alzheimer’s on the rise, all these changes could be made even worse.
So how do we prevent Alzheimer’s and keep our minds and bodies sharp?
There are many ways to combat the deterioration of our minds. Studies have shown that there are six different things you can do, which can control your risk factors to getting Alzheimer’s:
- Stress Management
- Getting Quality Sleep
- Being Mentally Stimulated
- Eating a Healthy Diet
- Being Socially Engaged
- Regular Exercise
We try to help with that as much as we can by providing tips and recipes for a healthy diet. But there is one thing, which we have yet to talk about, that can also help you: dancing!
There was a study done about how dancing can help reduce the risk of age-related brain deterioration.
Yes!
A study published in the Frontier in Human Neuroscience Journal (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00566/full) revealed how the brain and the body work in conjunction to help combat age-related brain decline in the elderly. The study involved a volunteer group (with an average age of 68) that took an eighteen-month course of either endurance and flexibility training or dance routines. By the end of the eighteen weeks, both groups showed an increase of the hippocampus portion of their brains.
Why is that important? Because that is the area which is prone to decline and affected by Alzheimer’s. This is also a portion of your brain that plays a big part in your learning, memory and balance.
Dancing also helps with the six ways to control your risk factors.
It is also important to note that taking a dancing course, checks off several things on the six things you can do to stave off Alzheimer’s.
Dancing can help with stress management because physical exercise (and doing fun and engaging things) helps reduce mental stress.
Being physically active (like dancing) can help with getting quality sleep. When you are physically active during the day, you are more apt to get into a regular sleep pattern. Think about it: when you’re physically exhausted, you’re tired, and that leads to a restful night’s sleep.
Dancing class can help you stay mentally stimulated because you’ll be learning new steps and you’ll be using problem solving skills as you improve your way through a dance session.
When you’re out dancing, you’re also out being socially active. Dancing requires that you rub elbows with your dance partner. When you join a dance class, you might even end up switching dance partners for a few steps. It is an incredibly social activity… if you allow it to be.
Dancing is a form of exercise! Remember that exercise doesn’t have to be about going to the gym and being miserable. You can go out hiking, work in the garden, go mall walking or walk with your friends, and (yes!) you can also go dancing. After all, you’re being physically active, and you are getting your heart rate up.
The only box that doesn’t get checked off is the “eating healthy” box. However, eating healthy and dancing can go hand in hand. When you eat healthy, you’re fueling your body for all that physical activity. Not to mention, when you eat healthy, you feel better about yourself. You think clearly and that helps as you’re learning new dance steps.
Should you dance or go to the gym?
Studies have shown that physical activity helps with age-related brain decline. So, the question remains: what kind of physical activity helps best? Is a repetitive action (like cycling and walking) better than taking a dancing class?
The group in the study was challenged with learning new steps and making varied movements (arm patterns, speed and rhythm changes, various steps, etc.) In addition, they had to recall the routines as they practiced with each other. They also had to exhibit good balance and strength as they danced. All these things together made for a noticeable difference in the dancing group (versus the endurance and flexibility training group).
Of course, more research needs to be done to form a more enhanced conclusion; however, dancing is one of the most fruitful (and enjoyable) exercises so far.
Keep in mind that when you engage in a physical activity (like dancing) that you find enjoyable you’re more apt to do it again. And staying active is one of the best things we can do no matter what age we are. So, get your dancing shoes on, and let’s start to Hustle, Cha Cha, Rumba and Salsa.
I’m loving every minute of it!
If you’re interested in taking professional dance lessons, OWW is proud to recommend Webert Benoit of Palm Beach Dancing. For more information, please call (561) 932-6660 or visit www.palmbeachdancing.com.
