Not only does dance bring with it some excellent benefits for physical health, it's also a great way to spend your time and to have lots of fun. Studies have shown that smiling and laughter can improve your mood and enhance your sense of well-being. So why not combine the two for a double hit of healthiness?
When we laugh we release endorphins, which Laughter Therapist Joe Hoare describes as “the body’s happy hormones”. Exercise such as dancing also releases endorphins into the blood stream, so enjoying dancing is doubly beneficial to health and well-being. This increase in the “feel-good” chemicals in your body can lift your mood, relieve stress and reduce the risk of depression.
While laughter, which has been clinically studied for more than 40 years, is shown to relieve physical tension, boost the immune system and improve the function of blood vessels.
Add this to the proven benefits of dance, which include improved cardio vascular fitness, increased muscle tone and improved bone strength and having fun has never been so good for you.
Hoare, who has run laughter workshops for more than a decade and who has worked as a visiting lecturer at the University of the West of England, believes combining dance and laughter has real benefits.
He explained that studies have shown having a smile on your face lifts your mood and not just for the duration of the time you’re smiling.
So the physical and mental advantages of dance and laughter can be felt even after you’ve finished your workout.
Hoare said: “I dance a lot. Do it as often as you can in a spirit of joyfulness and allow it to show on your face. Don’t do it with a mask of granite, actually show the enjoyment. That’s the important part.”
[For Slimdance]
With thanks to Joe Hoare www.joehoare.com
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