Looking for a Workout that Doesn’t Feel Like a Workout? Try Dancing!
No matter one’s age, there’s always a stigma that comes with the word, “workout”. It’s connected to grinding repetitions that put more and more strain on our joints with each new movement. It’s true – just the mention of the word alone can make one lose their urge to get up and move.
However, strength and mobility exercises for seniors don’t always have to be repetitive, painful, and – worst of all – boring. Workouts can, and should, be a fun way to boost your mental and physical health, especially in your golden years. When you consider that, what sounds like a more lively way to get a workout in than dancing?
Dancing provides numerous health benefits for senior citizens. Studies have shown that dancing, regardless of style, can vastly improve the physical and mental health of senior citizens. So, not only is dancing for exercise a lot of fun, the health benefits of dance for seniors cannot be understated.
Today, we’re going to look at 5 surprising health benefits of dancing for seniors. Once you’ve given these benefits a glance, “senior dance classes near me” may become a new standby in your search engine!
1: Dancing is Great for Weight Management
Feeling like you could probably trim off a little extra around the waist? We’ve all been there, and finding workouts that are fun and beneficial can be tough. However, one of the health benefits of dancing is that it’s great for weight management.
It’s a known fact that any activity is better than no activity at all. Even if you choose a relatively low-speed, low-strain form of dance, like ballroom dancing, you’re still being active. Performing that activity at regular intervals will help you lose weight at a steady pace.
Let’s face it, if you’re going to exercise for weight loss, you might as well do something that you enjoy. It’s tough not to get some kind of joy out of any form of dancing, and that boost of happiness will help you shed pounds in its own way as well!
2: Dancing is a Wonderful Form of Cardio
Finding a form of cardio that you enjoy can seem like a lost cause sometimes. Most cardiovascular exercises tend to be tedious and, well, boring. They can also put a lot of stress on your joints that you don’t really need.
That’s not to say, though, that all cardio needs to be boring and painful.
Whether you take ballet, or you want to challenge yourself with a little contemporary dance, one of the health benefits of dance is that it’s a wonderful form of cardio. You’re giving your complete body an excellent workout, and that includes your heart and lungs.
As you age, the risk of heart disease increases considerably. That’s why it’s important to keep your heart health in check throughout your life, especially in your golden years. Dancing for exercise is an excellent way to do just that. Kind of makes you want to plug “senior dance classes near me” in your search engine as we speak, am I right?
3: Dancing Can Help Rebuild Mobility and Balance
If you’ve started losing your mobility, you may think dancing for exercise is impossible. Think again – dancing is a universal exercise! This means that you can dance the night (or day) away regardless of whether or not you can stand.
One of the best health benefits of dancing is that it can help you rebuild your mobility and balance. Even if your dancing means that you’re just bobbing and twisting in a seat, you’re engaging your core in activity. The more you do this, the more you build your core strength, which is key to maintaining mobility and balance.
Don’t let not being able to move the way you used to keep you from dancing, especially if you’ve enjoyed it in the past. Any form of dancing can help you get back on your feet if you stick with it!
4: Dancing is a Great Way to Maintain and Build Social Skills
Sure, you can dance alone in your room. Where’s the fun in that, though? By nature, dancing is a social activity. Engaging regularly in any kind of social activity is great for one’s mental health, especially for seniors.
There’s a great deal of correlation between dance and mental health. Just moving to a good groove alone is enough to make anyone feel like they’re on Cloud 9. One of the biggest ways that dance and mental health work together to make you feel better is by making you get out to be social through this beautiful form of art.
If you live on your own, numerous senior centers hold dances, or dance classes, on a regular basis. Some offer multiple styles of dance, while others may offer just one in particular. Many senior centers tend to offer square or line dancing for the fact that it’s very social, and allows you to mingle and have fun with others in your age group.
For those of you who find it tough to make friends, give a dance class a try. There’s no better way to be social than by sharing a love of music and movement.
5: Dancing Can Help You Boost Your Self-Esteem
One of the worst things about growing older is not being able to do things like we had done in the past. We may not feel as strong, we may not run as fast, and we may not be as agile as we were in our younger years. That can deal a major blow to one’s self-esteem.
We’ve saved this benefit for last on our list of health benefits of dance because it’s one of the most important. It’s especially crucial when it comes to your mental health. Dancing, no matter how you do it, can be a huge boost to your self-esteem.
Dance and mental health intersect in numerous ways to help preserve and improve your psychological well being. If not being able to move like you’d moved before has gotten you down, being able to regain coordination and agility in senior dance classes near you can add plenty of pep to your step.
In other words, dancing is one of the best things you can do to feel like yourself again.
Alexa, Find “Senior Dance Classes Near Me”
Any type of exercise you can tackle in your golden years is great. However, there’s nothing that feels as exciting and as liberating as dancing to a favorite song.
If you live near a senior center, or you’re a resident of a nursing home or retirement community, see if they offer dance classes for seniors. The numerous health benefits of dancing cannot be denied, and they’re worth getting out there and busting a move!
