Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Dancing Benefits Mental HealthHow Different Types of Dancing Affect Mental HealthDance TherapyHow to Get Started
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Dancing Benefits Mental Health
How Different Types of Dancing Affect Mental Health
Dance Therapy
How to Get Started
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Dancingis fun and can be a great way to celebrate, but evidence also suggests it can be a powerful tool for boosting mental health and well-being. Researchers have found that dancing can improve mood, combat depression, boost brain function, foster happiness, and even improve relationships. It can also improve psychological coping and overall well-being.
Whether you prefer solo dancing or being involved in a more formalized and choreographed program, dancing offers obvious plusses to your physical health. You’re not only rhythmically moving your body and expressing feelings. You’re burning calories and getting a workout for sure.
But this creative, fun physical activity also boosts your brain functioning. You’re taking a break from work, family, and everyday stressors. You’re turning off the incessant worry and negative self-talk. Lastly,you don’t have time to ruminatewhile you dance.
At a GlanceSome people prefer to dance on their own to their favorite songs on Spotify or on the radio. Others want to learn ballroom dancing or hip-hop. Or take a tango class at their local community center. Whatever you choose, dancing can help you stay physically and mentally healthy. The benefits to your mental health from dancing might not be so readily apparent, but they are many and profound.
At a Glance
Some people prefer to dance on their own to their favorite songs on Spotify or on the radio. Others want to learn ballroom dancing or hip-hop. Or take a tango class at their local community center. Whatever you choose, dancing can help you stay physically and mentally healthy. The benefits to your mental health from dancing might not be so readily apparent, but they are many and profound.
People often find dancing fun, exciting, and uplifting, but there are also other vital physical and mental health benefits to moving your body along to music. If you’re looking for a reason to sign up for a community dance class or start dancing on your own while you listen to music at home, the following are some great benefits you might enjoy.
Mental Health Benefits of Dance
Some ways that dancing might improve your mental health include the following:
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Physical Health Benefits of Dance
Dancing can boost overall physical fitness in a variety of ways, including the following:
Research has shown that different forms of dance can have a variety of mental health benefits. Types of dance you might want to explore include free-flowing dance, choreographed dance, and synchronized dance.
Free-Flowing Dance
According to a UCLA Health study published in the August 2021 issue ofComplementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, conscious, free-flowing dance produced positive mental health benefits among participants.It was based on a survey of 1,000 dancers across the world who haddepression,anxiety, or ahistory of trauma.
A huge majority—98%—of all dancers said the practice improved their mood. Many also reported that conscious dance gave themmore confidenceandcompassion.
Choreographed Dance
In another study published inFrontiers in Aging Neuroscience, researchers compared the effects of walking, stretching, and dancing on thewiring and gray matter of the aging brain. Dancing had the most notable positive effect.
After recruiting volunteers in their 60s and 70s with healthy brains that didn’t show signs of cognitive impairment, researchers randomly placed them in three groups:
They all did the assigned activity for one hour a day, three times a week. After a period of six months, the volunteers’ brains were re-scanned and compared to when they had begun their regimens.
The researchers found only one group showed an improvement—the country dancers. The participants who learned country dancing now had denser white matter in the part of thebrain that processed memory. White matter usually breaks down as a person ages, which may contribute to cognitive decline.
Such results suggest that dancing protects the brain from aging-induced neurodegeneration. This means that dancing is not only an aerobic activity good for your physical health; it helps your brain!
Country dancing, ballroom dancing, tango, salsa, and waltz are all done with others. When you participate in these dances, you’re involved in a beneficial social activity as well. You are also cognitively stimulating your brain as you learn the steps to the dances. Dancing therefore might be one of thebest physical activities you can choose for brain health.
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Synchronized Dance
Another study found that synchronized dancing with others enabled people to feel closer to each other andfostered friendship.It also raised pain tolerance.
When you synchronize with the people next to you in a Zumba class or a flash mob, you’re doing a form of collective dancing to music. This is great for feelings of closeness with others.
In the research study, when participants danced,happy chemicals called endorphinswere released. Endorphins are integral in the human bonding processes. Thus, they—and we—feel closer to others we are dancing with.
The results of the research showed that those moving most energetically and in synchrony bonded with others, and also had a higher pain threshold.
A research study was conducted on the effects of movement and dance on health-related psychological outcomes.Its findings were promising. The benefits of movement and dance included increased quality of life andinterpersonal skillswhile at the same time lowering depression and anxiety.
If you hadn’t considered dance yet, think again about incorporating dance into your physical and mental health programs.
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If you are interested in trying dancing for mental health, here are a few strategies that can help you get started:
Try Dancing Alone at Home
A great place to start is to dance alone at home. Turn up some of your favorite upbeat songs and get moving. You might even try dancing around the house while you’re doing housework.
Take a Dance Class
Consider signing up for a dance class, whether online or in person. You can look for dance classes in a variety of places, including:
Try a Video Game
It can also be motivating to gamify your dance experience. Video games like Just Dance, Beat Saber, and Dance Dance Revolution can be a fun way to get moving.
Go Dancing With Friends
An evening out with friends at a local dance venue can also be a great way to benefit from dancing. It also brings the social benefits of spending time with people in your support network. Plus, it’s fun!
Takeaway
If you never considered dancing due toself-consciousness, you are far from alone. Many people fear that once they get up and move, they will look foolish and that all eyes will be upon them. The fact of the matter is most people are focused on their own dancing and having a good time. Practice with a friend or take lessons. Once you get on the dance floor, you might even find dancing to be a fun way to improve both your physical and mental well-being.
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8 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Laird KT, Vergeer I, Hennelly SE, Siddarth P.Conscious dance: Perceived benefits and psychological well-being of participants.Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2021;44:101440. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101440
Tao D, Gao Y, Cole A, et al.The physiological and psychological benefits of dance and its effects on children and adolescents: A systematic review.Front Physiol. 2022;13:925958. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.925958
Moratelli JA, Veras G, Lyra VB, Silveira JD, Colombo R, de Azevedo Guimarães AC.Evidence of the effects of dance interventions on adults mental health: A systematic review.J Dance Med Sci. 2023;27(4):183-193. doi:10.1177/1089313X231178095
Douka S, Zilidou VI, Lilou O, Manou V.Traditional dance improves the physical fitness and well-being of the elderly.Front Aging Neurosci. 2019;11:75. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2019.00075
Laird KT, Vergeer I, Hennelly SE, Siddarth P.Conscious dance: Perceived benefits and psychological well-being of participants.Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2021;44.
Burzynska AZ, Jiao Y, Knecht AM, et al.White matter integrity declined over 6-Months, but dance intervention improved integrity of the fornix of older adults.Front Aging Neurosci. 2017;9:59. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00059
Tarr B, Launay J, Cohen E, Dunbar R.Synchrony and exertion during dance independently raise pain threshold and encourage social bonding.Biol Lett. 2015;11(10):20150767. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2015.0767
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