If you’ve struggled with depression you’ve probably heard the statistics. Depression affects more than 350 million people worldwide. It can be triggered by a major life event, or can arrive without warning. More than just “the blues,” it can take the joy out of everyday life, leaving you feeling empty and unmotivated. It is a topic that some of you have been discussing and I’m realising that it is occurring more and more amongst both men and women.
For some people, therapy or prescription medication can help alleviate the symptoms. But some consider dancing!
Dance is considered to be one of the earliest forms of human communication, and it’s also a great way to exercise, get your mind off your daily life, and find others with common interests.
Here are five ways that taking a regular dance class can help curb depression and bring more joy into your life.
- Exercise.
You’ve certainly heard that the best way to fight depression is to get up and get some exercise. Aerobic exercise elevates levels of both dopamine (the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward) and euphoria-inducing endorphins. But if you suffer from depression, you also know how difficult it can be to get motivated.Dancefit classes help erode away that resistance because they take place at a certain time and the I will guide you through whatever the movement sequence is that day. You don’t have to track anything, program any elliptical machines, or remember which weight machines you should be using. - Music.
Our dance classes take place with musical accompaniment from our legendary beatbox! Rhythm, the most basic of musical elements, gives our brain something to focus on, and certain tempos can even induce trance states. - Finding flow.
Dance classes are like a moving meditation, even the most vigorous ones. During an hour-long dance class, you’ll be so focused on following the structure of the class that time will fall away. You won’t even have time to feel distracted by your depression inertia. It can be sometimes called being “in the zone.” It’s also characterized by a feeling that you have the potential to succeed, which will help you feel better about yourself. - Other people.
Sometimes interacting with other humans seems like the last thing you want to do when going through a depressive episode. However, the structured nature of a dance class allows you the experience of being in a room with others without the awkwardness of having to make small talk or you can chat as much as you would like! - The joy of improvement.
When you struggle to remember a complex movement sequence or stay balanced during a turn, you have two choices: get frustrated and quit, or keep coming back to class. And when you feel like we’ve done something well that you once struggled with, your brain floods with feel good dopamine – dopamine spurs you to want to seek that sense of reward again, so you’re more likely to go back to dancing. And when you do, you’ll be bringing more activity, music, and community into your life, hopefully keeping depression at bay!
