Two of the top worries amongst the elderly are osteoporosis and memory loss. Growing old can be frustrating and scary—you can just wake up one day and realize that your back pains are growing worse, or that you frequently misplace things, and forget the simple tasks like turning off the lights. Yes, these are all a natural part of the aging process, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about it.

Quite surprisingly, studies suggest that there is one solution to keeping the effects of these two health conditions at bay, and that is ballroom dancing.

Dance is an activity that allows the person to improve posture and balance, as well as strengthen the bones and muscles. Together, these two improvements make a mean osteoporosis fighting tandem, while keeping the body toned and healthy without all the push-ups and sit-ups that they might find impossible to do anymore. Furthermore, ballroom dancing is an activity that seniors can do without exhausting them quickly, because in many ways they are just having fun. The greatest benefit, however, is improving balance and body coordination, because this will prevent seniors from slipping or falling down which is the most common reason behind fractures for osteoporosis patients.

A Stanford study entitled “Use It or Lose It: Dancing Makes You Smarter” also suggests that dance is the best way to keep your cognitive abilities in top condition. In fact, dance scored even higher than reading and doing crossword puzzles when it comes to keeping the memory sharp. According to the study, reading reduces the risk of dementia by 35%, doing crossword puzzles by 47%, and dancing frequently by 76%.

The explanation to this result, according to the experts, is that dancing integrates several brain functions together. When dancing, you reach into your memory for the proper steps, you actively observe your partner, keep track of the background music, and make responses according to your partner’s movements or to the change in beat. Dancing provides a good mixture of activities to keep different brain functions going, and all without stressing the person.

For these reasons, seniors are highly encouraged to sign up for some ballroom dancing lessons at the local dance studios like Superior Ballroom Dance Studio LLC in Duluth, MN. Growing old doesn’t have to be stressful and depressing; a simple activity like dancing can ensure that you’re having fun, while at the same time warding off aging related problems.

Sources
Osteoporosis and Ballroom Dancing: A Perfect Match, wizzley.com
Use It or Lose It: Dancing Makes You Smarter, socialdance.stanford
Let’s Dance to Health, aarp.org