Staying Sharp
 
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Date Created:
March 26, 2008
Category:
Health »
Longevity & Brain Health
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mcpatterson AARP Member
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mcpatterson
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Staying Sharp
Staying Sharp is a join project of NRTA: AARP's Educator Community and the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. Through live presentations, a web site and various media products, the Staying Sharp initiative focuses on how the brain works and how we can use that knowledge to optimize brain function and maximize brain health throughout our lives
  Post to Topic     Print   Learning new dances is great for staying sharp
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JudyCPT said:
on December 24, 2008 09:21 AM ET
edited on February 5, 2009 06:25 AM ET

I recently read an article that learning new dance steps is great for the brain.  You also get the added benefit of a good body workout which is good for the heart.  I recently learned Zumba.  This is a combination of Latin dance steps.  It is fun and burns a lot of calories.
5 posts by 4 users
spiritandhealth
Post #5
spiritandhealth said:
on July 29, 2009 04:48 PM ET

I just read the same thing, so this is great for the body and the mind - as if we need another reason. I really should look into dancing, I'm going to check out some local community centers and such to find some optonis. Anyone else have good ideas for places to find low cost dance places/classes? I don't want to have to pay a lot.

I read this blog about the research that came out in support of dancing, if you want to read that.


justbetsy
Post #4
justbetsy replied to JudyCPT's Post #3 :
on January 16, 2009 09:46 PM ET

Zumba hasn't made it to our area yet. I do rumba and bachata, single time swing, waltz and f oxtrot mainly. Rumba is our favorite.


JudyCPT
Post #3
JudyCPT replied to justbetsy's Post #2 :
on January 16, 2009 08:13 PM ET

Hi justbetsy,

Have you tried Zumba.  I just attended a class at my helath club last night.  It is fun and burns a lot of calories.  You can check it out on YouTube. 


justbetsy
Post #2
justbetsy said:
on January 16, 2009 01:20 PM ET

Yes, dancing is a great exercise, for the body AND the brain. We had health & fitness brochures and senior flyers about the benefits of dance at our ballroom studio. Here's some of the material:

Because it involves moving to a rhythm, dancing combines the benefits of exercise and meditation to:

  • tone muscles
  • increase immunity
  • reduce anxiety
  • improve mood

AND IT'S FUN!

The Mayo Clinic Health Letter  (Feb. 1992)reports--
Dancing is a great mind-body workout, and can help:

  • build confidence and self-esteem
  • improve memory skills
  • reduce stress and tension
  • ward off depression

Elsewhere on the AARP website, the Physical Health benefits are listed--
As a low-impact, weight-bearing activity, Ballroom Dancing can help:

  • increase stamina, muscle tone, & flexibility
  • strengthen weight-bearing bones without hurting joints
  • ward off illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure
  • improve posture and balance, helping prevent falls
  • serve as a part of rehabilitation for those recovering from heart or knee surgery

above from http://www.aarp.org/health/fitness/get_motivated/lets_dance_to_health.htm

"There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them." -Vicki Baum (author of Grand Hotel)

"Stifling an urge to dance is bad for your health -- it rusts your spirit and your hips!" -Adabella Radici

"those move easiest who have learned to dance" - Alexander Pope

Socrates learned to dance when he was SEVENTY because he felt that an essential part of his self had been neglected.


mcpatterson
Post #1
mcpatterson said:
on January 5, 2009 01:56 PM ET

Hi -

Happy New Year! I've never heard of the dance called ZUMBA, but it sounds great.

I too have heard that dancing is good for body and brain.  Any kind of social dancing that involves interacting with a partner and learning new and complicated steps is going to combine all of the essential recommendations for brain health. As you say, you get good PHYSICAL EXERCISE which is bound to help your CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS. Dancing with a partner and in public gives you the SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT that seems to be important.  And, finally, learning the steps is going to give you a MENTAL WORKOUT. 

ZUMBA your way into brain health in 2009!!