How Dancing Affects the Brain
Dance is used a lot as a way to stay healthy, relieve stress, or to have something fun to focus on during the week. Some of its most significant benefits, however, have to do with the way it impacts the brain.
Reduces the Risk of Developing Cognitive Diseases
Did you know that dancing regularly can significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia when you’re older? According to this study, dancers are 76% less inclined to suffer from cognitive issues. Other research, done on residents of a dementia nursing home, evidenced that those residents who danced every week showed improved visual functions and better planning abilities. Concluding that dancing helps their mind stay busy, minimizing the appearance of their symptoms.
Improves Muscle Memory
Visualizing your moves is vital to learning a dance routine. It’s not about hitting every step correctly, but about focusing on the method itself. This practice, in a consistent manner, can help improve muscle memory.
Impacts Your Emotions
There are many ways in which dancing can benefit your emotions. It can make you feel happier, less stressed, as well as give you the feeling of being able to think more clearly. Dance can also make you feel more confident in yourself and motivate you to pursue your goals. It helps you establish bonds with other dance classmates, making you feel less lonely and more social.
Boosts Your Ability to Solve Problems
Different types of dance can help you develop different problem-solving skills. Improv requires creativity, and that same creativity can help you find out-of-the-box solutions for a variety of problems. On the other hand, more structured types of dance, promote your ability to solve more straightforward issues.
Dance has a positive impact overall, not just on the physical but on the emotional, psychological, and cognitive areas. So, if you’re feeling the urge to enroll in a dance class, don’t hesitate! Start dancing now! And if you already have the enjoyment of dancing in your life, cheers! It’s fun and functional for you!