Business Weekly (Zimbabwe)

6 reasons why dancing is great for your body

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WHILE it tends to get sweaty on the dance floor, it's all for good reasons. The shimmies, the shakes, the pirouettes, and the backflips burn a lot of calories and do a lot of other amazing things for your body.

Dancing is one of the greatest pleasures. It comes with music, beats, and synced motions to express the unsaid emotions. Whether it's a party or just spending time with yourself, there is always an undeniably irresistib­le reason behind moving to a good beat.

While dancing is just plain fun and moving, there are some good reasons to do it every day.

Increases the calorie burning

◆ Walking burn: 100 to 200 calories in 30 mins ◆ Dancing burn: 200-400 calories in 30 mins ◆ Running burn: 200-400 calories in 30 mins ◆ Swimming burn: 200-250 calories in 30

mins

◆ Cycling burn: 200-300 calories in 30 mins

You may anticipate burning 100 to 200 calories by vigorously walking for 30 minutes.

If you opt to run or swim, the quantity may be greater. When you choose continuous dancing, though, you may burn up to 400 calories in the same amount of time.

Even a gentle or simply co-ordinated movement for 30 minutes can burn the same number of calories as swimming or cycling.

On the internet, there is a popular saying that if running is like driving on a freeway, dancing is more like driving through a bustling city.

Dance has such great results because it involves voluntary movements in all directions. In running, walking, or swimming, there is constantly an accelerati­ng force; yet, in dancing, there is always synchronis­ed decelerati­on and accelerati­on.

Positive impact on flexibilit­y,

endurance and strength

Torching calories is not the only upside of dancing; it impacts the flexibilit­y, endurance, and strength of your body. Unlike straight-up running, which aids up-down and side-toside motions, dancing activates even the lower-body joints, muscles, and tendons. The omnidirect­ional movements train and activate many tendons and small muscles.

A comparativ­e study on Balance & Flexibilit­y between Dancers and Non-Dancers shows that dance has put a positive impact on fitness variables balance and flexibilit­y.

There is another conclusive report that says an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is less common among dancers than among other sports players.

Mood and mind benefits

Dancing, like any other physical activity, appears to improve your mood and mental wellness. According to a UCLA health research study published in 2021, free-flowing dancing motions resulted in good mental health effects for individual­s who chose to dance.

A total of 1000 patients suffering from anxiety, depression, and trauma took part in the study. Almost 98 percent of dancers' mental health improved after they practised and let their bodies move with the flow.

Dancing helps with improved energy, a buoyed mood, and lowered stress.

Influence on the white matter of the brain A study published in the journal “Frontiers in Ageing Neuroscien­ce” compared the effects of walking, stretching, and dancing on the white matter of aging brains. The study connected dancing to increased “white matter” integrity in elderly people's brains.

White matter in your brain is made up of connective tissues that might deteriorat­e over time.

The deteriorat­ion causes issues with processing speed, reasoning, and rememberin­g.

Unlike walking and stretching, the synchronis­ed movements of dance-choreograp­hy must be memorised via your body and mind. The white matter of elderly people who participat­ed in dance improved after six weeks of hard choreograp­hy.

Psychologi­cal benefits of dance

A dance may do great things for your psychology. For many years and decades, therapists have recommende­d dancing as an excellent treatment for social anxiety and fear of speaking in public.

The rationale for proposing dancing is to relax before performing a back-flip in front of strangers. If you can perform a back-flip in front of an audience, you will be less self-conscious when it comes to public speaking.

Dance promotes socialisin­g and building relationsh­ips with others. The synchronis­ed movements you do with others in a dance class blur the lines and allow you to connect with your fellow dancers.

Boost physical connectivi­ty

Last but not least, dancing improves physical connectedn­ess. When it comes to dancing with a partner, there is always a touch factor that brings distinct benefits. Holding hands, touching waists, and other dancing gestures to help maintain and improve a human-tohuman physical connection.

Salsa's sensuous touch or ball dance's romanticis­m, each part relieves tension and anxiety and aids in the maintenanc­e of good relationsh­ips.

Put all of this together, and there is nothing that can't persuade you to put on your dancing shoes. — IANS

 ?? ?? Whether it’s a party or just spending time with yourself, there is always an undeniably irresistib­le reason behind moving to a good beat
Whether it’s a party or just spending time with yourself, there is always an undeniably irresistib­le reason behind moving to a good beat
 ?? ?? While dancing is just plain fun and moving, there are some good reasons to do it every day
While dancing is just plain fun and moving, there are some good reasons to do it every day

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