Though many people feel shy about getting into the groove, dancing draws on a variety of mental and physical skills that distiguish it from many other forms of exercise.
Dancing is aerobic, boosting heart rate and cardiovascular health. It improves balance, strength, mobility and flexibility. The endorphins released during dancing – and the social interaction involved when dancing in groups – lifts mood. Also, dancing requires spatial recognition, recall and executive function, making it a workout for the brain, as well as the body.
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Last year, a review of studies concluded that dance was superior to other forms of exercise for reducing stress and improving memory, social awareness and motivation. So it makes sense that dancing might help people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
A recent study confirmed this, finding that dance improved physical and emotional well-being of people with Alzheimer's and other dementias.
This study is supported by previous research, including a 2022 paper in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease that found music alone helps people with dementia reconnect with familiar moments in their pasts. It also improves their environmental awareness and social connections, and helps them enjoy experiences that otherwise may make them anxious and agitated. Another research review from 2022 found dance music therapy improves motor function and cognition in people with neurodegenerative diseases. A 2003 study found that – out of 11 leisure activities – only dance reduces the risk of dementia.
The recent study included 16 people with dementia between ages 60 and 97 who took two, hour-long line-dancing lessons a week. They learned the box step, the Charleston and other dances modified to their physical capabilities. Every week, the dancers learned a new routine. They also reviewed routines from the previous weeks.
The study was a small one, requiring further research to replicate its findings. But the results were profound.
"We observed all dance participants either smiling, laughing, giggling, and/or clapping during the dance sessions," the researchers wrote
They also noted that "caregivers reported observing their loved one with ADRD (Alzheimer's disease and related dementias) dancing at different times of the day sometimes without music playing" – behavior the caregivers had not seen prior to involvement in the dance program.
The researchers recommended people with dementia dance in a community setting or use online resources, such as YouTube dance tutorials geared toward older adults, to get the social benefits. The researchers also chose music from the 1950s, taking into consideration the age of the participants.
"Music is essential as it acts as a prompt for self-expression and activates memory centers in the brain," the researchers wrote. "Specifically for people with ADRD, music familiar and associated with youth may trigger the participant to dance."