Thursday, June 21, 2018

6 Healthy Benefits Of Ballroom Dancing Ottawa Seniors Should Know About

By Susan Powell


Once people retire, they often find themselves isolated. This can lead to depression and poor dietary habits. Not only do they avoid exercise, a lot of them stop moving altogether. It takes effort to stay active, and not all seniors like the idea of gyms. If you are in this category, consider grabbing a partner and signing up for the ballroom dancing Ottawa senior centers are offering.

This activity will tone your muscles. Spinning, fast turns, and quick stepping are great for building muscle strength and toning your legs. You probably won't notice it, but as you dance with your partner, you are both participating in a form of resistance training. Men might not be able to lift their partners over their heads, but leading them around the dance floor will tone arms and abs.

Dance will help prevent osteoporosis. As people age their joints and bones start to get brittle and stiff. Dance is low impact, It's safe for those who have recently had knee and hip replacement surgery. Dance strengthens bones making it less likely that falls and other accidents will result in serious injury.

This form of exercise will increase your flexibility. Some seniors stop moving as they age. When you sit in front of a television all day, your muscle start to atrophy and get stiff. When you dance, you are using all kinds of muscles, and that causes them to become more flexible. Part of your routines will include bending and stretching, things you might not do on your own. Both men and women will benefit from the turns and twirls.

Moving burns fat. When you sit all day, you aren't burning calories. It is not unusual for seniors to gain weight after they retire. It may be much harder to get rid of excess pounds after a certain age. Dance is a great way to burn calories while you are having fun. If you don't like the idea of cardio routines and lifting weights, this could be a good, healthy solution for you.

Dance will improve your endurance and condition your total body. If you find yourself huffing and puffing when you try to walk up a flight of stairs, your endurance levels have dropped. Dance is a wonderful way to elevate them. Most classes start off slowly to give everybody a chance to get used to the activity. As the sessions lengthen, you will find yourself lasting longer and longer.

Dance stimulates your brain. Dementia in general, and Alzheimer's in particular are scary diseases. Scientists don't know exactly what causes them, and there is no cure. Scientists do know that improving spatial memory can improve individuals' chances of avoiding these diseases. Spatial memory is the area of your brain you are using when you learn, and remember, dance steps.

It's not always easy to grow older. It can take some effort to resist the temptation to slow down too soon. Dance is a way to get great exercise, feed your brain, and spend time with new friends and dance partners.




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