Life is a dance

As I sit at my computer watching couples walk up the hill outside my window, I can’t help but wonder how their lungs are feeling.

Taking a daily walk with your significant other is a great way of bonding and getting the benefit of physical exercise, but the poor air quality makes it a less-than-deal activity these days.

I began pondering the situation. Is there was an alternative way to both bond and get exercise that could be done indoors.

My first thought was the walking track at the Capital News Centre, but my second one was less predictable and, in my eyes, a lot more fun.

Go dancing.

Perhaps this idea sprang into my mind because I’ve been thinking about signing my husband and I up for dance lessons for ages.

If you have ever danced, you will know that it not only provides an opportunity for cardiovascular exercise, it feels good.

Dancing is fun because the music stimulates your brain’s reward centres and the activity increases the mood regulating chemical serotonin.

This is old news in the scientific research world, so let’s see what more recent studies have to say.

Researchers have become interested in the neurological effects of dance. In other words, is dance as good for your brain as it is for your body?

This is particularly relevant as the baby boomer generation enters their senior years. Dancing is an activity that can be enjoyed by most people well into their twilight years.

Dancing is considered by many to be a recreational activity rather than an alternative to going to the gym, so it is fitting that many of the studies have looked to see how dance stacks up against other forms of exercise.

Would those couples I see walking benefit just as much from dancing?

A 2003 study by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine compared the effects of 11 different types of physical activity including golf, swimming, and tennis, to see if any of them lowered the chance of dementia. Only one did – dance.

In Dr. Kathrin Rehfeld research at the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases participants were assigned to either dance or to take part in endurance and flexibility training. Subjects participated in the study for 18 months and had an average age of sixty-eight.

The results showed benefits for the seniors participating in both types of exercise, but only the dance group showed improved balance.

This is important as statistics show that about one in three seniors in Canada fall every year.

Aga Burzynska, assistant professor of human development at Colorado State University, took a slightly different approach in her research.

She focused on whether staying active would help seniors slow the loss of memory. She was interested in finding ways to combat brain deterioration.

Seniors aged between 60 and 80 with no signs of memory loss or impairment were assigned to one of three different activities, brisk walking, stretching and balance training, or dancing.

At the end of the study brains scans were taken and compared to pre-study scans. The dancers had less deterioration compared to participants in the other two groups.

All the participants were getting physical activity, but only the dancers were required to constantly learn and remember new skills. They were taught choreographed country dancing which involved learning new techniques and remembering them.

To answer my early question, would those couples I see walking, benefit just as much from dancing?

The answer is a resounding yes. In fact dancing has benefits that other types of exercise don’t provide. It is a better way to improve your balance, memory, and mood.

I found this research fascinating and empowering. You are not just the victim of your genetics and circumstances. You can slow down the aging process in your brain and more importantly it is never too late to begin.

• Dancing is fun.
• There are no rules.
• It is a great form of exercise.
• There are no age restrictions.
• You don’t need a partner, but it is a great way to have fun with your spouse if you are looking for a bonding activity.

If you are already a great dancer, challenge yourself with harder choreography or by learning a new dance style. It doesn’t matter if you are a novice or an expert, dancing can improve your health, your happiness, and your relationship.

“You’ve got to dance like nobody’s watchin’” — Susanna Clark and Richard Leigh

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.