Freely moving our bodies to the rhythm of music or our inner wishes is a means to better physical and mental health, and we call it dancing.

We've all read the stories before, and we marvel at them because they tell of the old, old seniors who are enjoying life to the fullest, and one of their activities is dancing. Yes, the simple activity that anyone can do, whether alone, with a partner, or in a group, is now being given the recognition it deserves.

How many times have you heard a reporter ask a 100-year-old person for their secrets to a long life? And what do they usually say is one activity that keeps them going? Dancing is right up there with community activities, religious affiliation, and family love.

Researchers are also seeking the answer that we all crave, and now professional publications are starting to make their results available to all of us. Few people would have to be told that exercise is one of the best ways to maintain your physical and mental health because muscles do more than work like rubber bands, holding our bones and joints together. Muscles serve as workhorses for other biochemical reactions, and we still haven't completely unraveled the mystery of muscles.

Dancing is a muscle-activating means of not simply moving around and exercising but soothing and activating our brains. Before studying the intricate mental coordination needed for dance, scientists paid little attention to the neurological impact of dancing.

According to neuroscientists, a “pleasure double play” occurs when bodies move in time with music. Neuroscientists explain that music activates the brain's reward areas, whereas dance activates the sensory and motor circuits.

Researchers have used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to pinpoint specific brain areas involved in dancing. The motor cortex facilitates all three stages of voluntary movement—preparation, regulation, and execution. There is sufficient evidence now that dancing has physical benefits similar to exercise, including better memory and stronger connections between neurons.

Where would dance therapy be most effective if not specifically aimed at mood disorders? With an estimated prevalence of 1% among those aged 60 and up, Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurological illness worldwide. It has complicated clinical manifestations and is a systemic disease. Non-motor symptoms, including mood disorders, sleep disturbances, cognitive and sensory dysfunctions, and motor symptoms, can result from neuronal loss and neurotransmitter imbalances.

Patients with Parkinson's are now receiving dance therapy as part of their treatment plans. Why would that be? Dancing is an exercise that engages more than just your muscles; it also engages your brain, emotions, social circle, and senses.

Dancing helps people with PD with their motor skills, which are impaired due to neuromuscular demands, including mobility, balance, coordination, and direction changes, as well as other motor capacities like endurance, flexibility, and strength. It may seem counterintuitive to some, but dancing is one way to help anyone with Parkinson's begin to regain some of the skills that need help.

What Types of Dancing?

Too many people believe that dancing adheres to a specific formula of footsteps and body movements, and that is simply not the case. Dancing is movement that brings freedom and a sense of joy from the freedom to move to the music however you wish. A listing of potential dances is mind-boggling, and anyone can find something to suit their needs.

Are there specific types of dancing that might be more helpful than others? This is open to consideration, and the easiest and simplest answer is whatever pleases you. You may want to dance with a partner or learn an intricate step for a dance that is no longer seen, such as the Paso Doble or something more in step with what is known as line dancing or the two-step, or even the Electric Slide. But there’s more here that needs to be considered, and the one word we need to keep in mind is “freedom.”

A new health study found that most people with a history of trauma, sadness, or anxiety saw improvements in their mental health after participating in conscious dancing. This activity promotes self-discovery via unchoreographed movement. It’s dancing that is helpful for those with mental health issues, as well as for managing regular stress, particularly in older individuals. Dance as you wish would seem to be the instruction here.

Even folk dancing has its place in therapeutic activities. A study tested a modified folk-dance intervention in at-risk youth to enhance their emotional and physical health and overall quality of life. Based on the major findings, the customized folk dance improved mental and physical fitness. Based on the findings of the pre-and post-tests for mental health, the customized folk dance improved the participants’ mental health.

Dancing is there for those who wish to engage in it, in whatever way they want, wherever they happen to be, and whether or not there is music is immaterial. You can make your own music because we know that humming, of itself, has therapeutic abilities.