Ask The Expert: Dancing

Dr Deborah Lee is a qualified GP, medical writer and passionate ballroom and Latin dancer

How did you come to have a special interest in dance?

I was a GP for eight years and then went into sexual health. I started dancing regularly when I met my husband. It’s nice because it’s a shared interest and we’ve met new friends. I’ve also realised what a good form of exercise it is.

Why is dancing so good for you? You exercise your cardiovascular system, your heart, lungs, muscles, joints, ligaments, and at the same time you’re testing your balance, strength, coordination. You need to be able to remember your steps, so it’s good for dementia and has been shown to reduce falls in people with Parkinson’s. It’s sociable and when you dance, there’s a release of the happy hormone, serotonin.

What kind of dancing is best?

A big review of studies in 2021 on the health benefits of engaging in different arts found the biggest improvements were seen with ballroom and social dance, aerobic dance and Zumba. The tango, where you concentrate on walking and changing rhythm, is helpful for older people.

How much dancing do you have to do to reap the benefits?

The recommendation is 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week, which includes dancing. But studies have found that regularly dancing for 30 to 60 minutes a week has health benefits. You can do it in small chunks, for example, three sessions of ten minutes in the lounge with a Zumba video.

What can people do if their mobility is limited? Sometimes people think if they have arthritis or obesity or something else that’s affecting their joints, dancing will make it worse. That’s not true. Dancing is good for circulation, helps reduce swelling and inflammation, and actually reduces pain. Contact the dance class to find the right one for you. Some classes are less energetic than others, for example, a waltz class. ■

Dr Deborah is a writer for Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, drfox.co.uk