Mental and Social Benefits of Dancing

Introduction

Dancing is great exercise and is for everybody. Everyone can enjoy dancing regardless of race, age, built, shape and size. It can be done alone, practiced with a group or with a partner. Dancing integrates several brain functions at once – kinesthetic, rational, musical and emotional – further increasing the neural connectivity.

Dancing has been known as an excellent way to stay physically fit as Mr. Underwood said. But very few know the mental and cognitive benefits of it. How then dancing improves brain health? ‘Dr. Joseph Coyle, a Harvard Medical School psychiatrist said that …. the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the brains are very elastic which means they “rewire” themselves after each use.’ Yes, dancing can help in the rewiring process. So the major benefits of dancing are discussed in this essay.

What are the benefits of dancing?

One of the greatest benefits of dancing is that it sparks a child’s imagination and nurtures individual creativity in a unique way. This only means that it will give the child an opportunity to learn movements that nurtures the body and focuses on the mind.

Most people know that exercise is good for the body, but many people are not aware that it is also good for the brain. Engaging oneself in any physical activity like dancing boosts brain power and enhances the capacity of learning. How so? Research has shown that exercise improves cognitive ability and memory by enhancing synaptic, vascular, and structural plasticity, making the brain more positively adaptive; modulating neurotransmitters; and promoting the growth of new neurons within the hippocampus (a brain center that facilitates memory and learning).

Recently, a study conducted from Albert Einstein College of Medicine reported that dance can be a powerful way to improve brain health. The result showed that while exercise is good for a person’s overall health, only one exercise had the biggest impact when it came to improving overall cognitive skills i.e. dancing.

Recent studies also show that an increased physical activity yields to higher academic achievement. In a study conducted by Shepard, and his colleagues (1984) concluded that providing more opportunity for increased physical activity (by reducing class time) leads to increased test scores. A reduction of 240 minutes per week in class time for academics to enable increased physical activity led to consistently higher mathematics score. Symons, et. al (1997) on the other hand found out that intense physical activity programs have positive effects on academic achievement, including increased concentration; improved mathematics, reading and writing test scores; and reduced disruptive behavior. Academic achievement improves even when the physical education reduces the time for academics. Jensen (1998) had proven that aerobic conditioning may help to improve memory. Exercise may strengthen particular areas of the brain, and oxygen intake during exercise may enhance greater connections between neurons.

Neuroscientists uncovered the strong connection between exercise and cognitive functions. In order to continue neurogenesis or the production of new neurons in the brain, any movement more complicated than walking has to be learned by the students. These complicated movements will challenge the brain thus building the parts of the brain that organize metal and physical activity. Experts recommend that kids at school should participate in at least one hour of physical activity every day because it improves memory, concentration and processing speed. The more complicated the movements are, the better the connections produced.

Physical activity has the power to transform the mind as well as the body and have linked with increased test scores not only in Mathematics and English but as well as to other subjects. This is shown in different studies conducted with standardized tests used as instruments.

Everybody would agree that learning is at its best in a conducive and in a highly relaxed environment. Human body produces its natural relaxant known as endorphin. Endorphin is one of the body’s own painkillers, an opioid (morphine-like) chemical produced by the body that serves to suppress pain. Endorphins are manufactured in the brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of the body. They are released in response to neurotransmitters and bind to certain neuron receptors (the same ones that bind opiate medicines). These neurotransmitters serve to transmit electrical signals within the nervous system. There are at least 20 different endorphins with possible benefits and uses that researchers are currently investigating. Endorphins also act as an analgesic, i.e. diminishing the perception of pain, and as sedatives. Chemically, endorphins are peptides (amino acid chains that are shorter than proteins) and they are rapidly inactivated by enzymes called peptidases.

Endorphins have shown to have control feelings of stress and frustration (www.road-to-health.com). One staff of Mayo Clinic says that one way to take control of the stress in one’s life is through physical activity thus being active can boost the feel-good endorphins and distract a person from daily worries. What then is the connection of endorphin and exercise or physical activity? Physical activity helps bump up the production of brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters which could have a direct effect on the teaching and learning process since it helps build a conducive environment for learning. Yes, the brain is ready to learn because its state is stable. Moreover, it helps in boosting happiness and mood, thus the person often has an improved outlook on life. Stress can be relieved and self-esteem can be boosted. And, because of its increased production during physical activity, sedative effect will be experienced by exercisers and might sleep better. Studies have shown that endorphins are released 30 minutes after engaging in any physical activity.

Conclusion

Aside from the cognitive and mental benefit of dancing, it is also a great way to meet other people. As a social activity, studies have shown that strong social ties and socializing with friends contribute to high self-esteem and a positive outlook thus increasing self-confidence and build social skills which contribute to having an overall sense of well-being.

With all these mental and social benefits from dancing, it is good that the Department of Education has included dance education in the curriculum. Also, some LGUs are conducting Zumba sessions for interested community members.

Works Cited

1. Coyle, J. T. (2004). Use it or lose it - Do effortful mental activities protect against dementia? The New England Journal of Medicine, 352(25), 2571-2572.
2. Einstein, G., & McDaniel, M. (2004). Integrated memory for details and context: The multidimensional match-mismatch model. Psychological Bulletin, 130(3), 426-447.
3. Jensen, E. (1998). Teaching with the brain in mind. ASCD.
4. Kangas, M., Rahkonen, O., & Heinonen, R. (2005). Cognitive performance in physically active and inactive middle-aged men. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 15(2), 91-100.
5. Leste-Lasserre, C. (2021). How dance benefits your brain. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/202101/how-dance-benefits-your-brain
6. National Endowment for the Arts. (2015). The arts in early childhood: Social and emotional benefits of arts participation. Retrieved from https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Arts-in-Early-Childhood-Report.pdf
7. Ratey, J. J. (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. Little, Brown Spark.
8. Sibley, B. A., & Etnier, J. L. (2003). The relationship between physical activity and cognition in children: A meta-analysis. Pediatric Exercise Science, 15(3), 243-256.
9. Tervo, R. C., Azuma, T., Fogarty, J., & Nelson, C. A. (2020). A guide for using the event-related optical signal (EROS) to study cognitive processes. Journal of Visualized Experiments, (155), e60688.
10. Yoon, S., & Coulton, C. (2015). Social benefits of physical activity in parks: A research synthesis. Leisure Sciences, 37(2), 145-162.