Dancing and Happiness

There is something about dancing that brings joy. It’s a great way to express yourself, it can be incredibly fun, and it is a great physical workout. When you think about the music you listen to, even if you’re not into the song, you might catch yourself nodding your head or tapping your foot to the rhythm. It’s almost as if dancing and happiness go hand in hand. If you have ever thought or wondered about the connection, you aren’t alone. Not only do fellow dancers agree with this, but science does as well. It’s almost as if we were born to dance and it feels like dancing is a part of being human. Dancing as such a positive impact on many aspects of our lives and most important, our mental and physical health.

How do Dancing and Happiness Go Together

Reduced Anxiety

Whenever we engage in a physically demanding activity, our brains release endorphins. These actually help improve our moods. What is even more compelling is that dancing boosts your mood even more than just exercise alone. Studies conducted in Italy followed cardiac-rehab patients and found that dancing made the participants happier than those that took on treadmill and bicycle training. Dancing has also demonstrated its ability to calm demeanors and give those that engage in dancing a better sense of control.

Sharpens the Mind

You might ask how are why this happens. There is of course more to dancing than just dancing. It requires you to remember steps and time moves to be in sync with the music and other dancers. In another study conducted, participants were brought into a lab where they had to listen to music for five minutes and were given choices of what to do in that time: sit and listen, use and exercise bike, or dance. As you may have guessed, the participants that chose to dance demonstrated increased problem-solving abilities and improved creative thinking patterns.

Increase in Self Confidence

Self-confidence is something we would all love to have more of. If there was a way to improve your self-confidence and increase your happiness, why pass it up? Well researchers in Sweden discovered that dancing can increase your self-confidence and help maintain it for months following. This also gives the dancers higher self-esteem and better equips them to handle everyday problems. It also helps to alleviate symptoms of depression, stress, fatigue, and even headaches!

Dancing for Happiness

There is really no denying that dancing is human nature. It brings out the best in us and its impact carries over to other aspects of our lives, helping us to be more positive and happier. The areas it helps in regards to life outside of dancing are things many of us have trouble figuring out how to deal with on our own.

Whether you are beginner or an experienced dancer looking to further your skills, A Step Above Dance Academy has something for you. Contact us today at 630.326.9600.