Get Up and Dance!
Finding types of movement that you enjoy is a great way to gain physical and mental benefits of movement. Dance has been shown to support various aspects of mental health as well as physical benefits.
The benefits of movement are seemingly endless. In regards to exercise, there is a whole range of physiological benefits for the body; heart health, muscular strength, flexibility, bone density… the list goes on. People can often think of exercise in specific capacities, this notion however has shifted in recent years with scientific evidence being studied, there are many forms of movement that give these same benefits.
Dance is the main emphasis of this article. Dance is moving the body in a way that is rhythmic, often to music but for some, that is not necessary. It can be improvised or choreographed to a specific style. Dance is a type of self-expression through movement. Body expression and sense of self are ways in which people can feel individualism and express that outwardly. For some communication happens through movement, dance is a special way to express these emotions, feelings, and thoughts in a physical way. Body language is a nonverbal expression that people give off with or without intention in their daily lives.
Dancing can be a form of language through which the body is communicating inner feelings such as joy, pain, freedom, confidence, etc. In a UCLA study participants were taught a “healing-focused style of dance” they practiced a conscious dance style and reported their feelings about the experience. “98% of all dancers said the practice improved their mood, large percentages also reported that conscious dance helped them let go of distressing thoughts and gave them greater confidence and more compassion” (UCLA health, 2021).
Mental Health and Dancing
Mental health is a very important factor in overall wellbeing. Mental health, mood, and feelings of how people interact with themselves have a major impact on daily activities as well as physical health. In numerous recent studies, researchers focused on how dancing can positively impact mental health.
Dance movement therapy has been studied to look at the impact it plays on quality of life, the results of this study showed that along with improved vitality and fitness it also helped to foster positive and joyful experiences along with the influence on social connections (Koch et al., 2019). Dance therapy had a way of “decreasing anxiety and depression levels, and increased quality of life and cognitive skills” (Koch et al., 2019). Another study noted the benefits of dance including “improving health, which implied feeling both calmed and excited, getting better sleep, and being able to move with more focus and freedom” (Gyrling et al., 2021).
The mind-body connection has been studied more in recent years, this concept shows that the connection between mental health and movement can positively impact one another. Participants from this study also reported, “experiences of self-support, including experiencing increased self-esteem and joy, but also a sense of being confirmed and having structure, which gave meaning to everyday life” (Gyrling et al., 2021).
Finding joy and meaning in life is something that gives a sense of connection, peace, and self-assurance. Feelings of scarcity and instability can chip away at mental health leaving people in a non-optimal mindset. During these past few years, the pandemic has had a huge impact on many people’s lives and mental health. Along with this many people suffered physically from enduring Covid-19.
Physical symptoms can affect many aspects of a person’s health, in this next study a dance intervention was proposed as a way to continue healing from these effects. “Evidence supports that dance-based mind-motor activities can safely and effectively improve patients’ fatigue, reduced exercise ability, impaired lung function, and other problems, as well as significantly improve patients’ anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other states” (Ding et al., 2021). Covid-19 was something that not only had effects on physical wellbeing but severely impacted mental health globally. Using dance as a way to regain health and uplift spirits is a way to ease some of the enduring stressors as well as reclaim some senses of joy.
Dance is something that varies from culture to culture as well as within all age ranges, what is popular may differ however many people find joy in dancing. A study looking at interventions for older adults used dance therapy to see how it would affect mental state, cognitive abilities, and mood. The results showed that dancing had a positive impact on the mental health of older adults as well as patients with MCI and dementia (Wang et al., 2022). Dancing was a way to integrate active coping mechanisms, and physical movement and increase positive affect in this population.
Regardless of age, culture, or physical abilities, any form of dance has been shown to positively aid in mental health and mood. Engaging in dance can bring some fun into movement behaviors.
Overall Tips
- Bring a little movement or rhythm into your day
- If you enjoy dance find somewhere that feels comfortable to practice
- Test out a dance class or different styles of dance
- Dance with a partner, friend, or child
- Dance around the house by yourself
For more topics related to overall health and healthy habits, check out the Ate app!
References
Ding, Y., Guo, C., Yu, S., Zhang, P., Feng, Z., Sun, J., Meng, X., Li, L., & Zhuang, H. (2021). The effect of dance-based mind-motor activities on the quality of life in the patients recovering from COVID-19: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 100(11), e25102. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000025102
Gyrling, T., Ljunggren, M., & Karlsson, S. (2021). The impact of dance activities on the health of persons with Parkinson’s disease in Sweden. International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 16(1), 1992842. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2021.1992842
Koch, S. C., Riege, R., Tisborn, K., Biondo, J., Martin, L., & Beelmann, A. (2019). Effects of Dance Movement Therapy and Dance on Health-Related Psychological Outcomes. A Meta-Analysis Update. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 1806. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01806
Liu C, Su M, Jiao Y, Ji Y, Zhu S. Effects of Dance Interventions on Cognition, Psycho-Behavioral Symptoms, Motor Functions, and Quality of Life in Older Adult Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review. Front Aging Neurosci. 2021 Sep 20;13:706609. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.706609. PMID: 34616285; PMCID: PMC8488360.
Wang, Y., Liu, M., Tan, Y., Dong, Z., Wu, J., Cui, H., Shen, D., & Chi, I. (2022). Effectiveness of Dance-Based Interventions on Depression for Persons With MCI and Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 709208. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709208
