Five Ways to Reduce Your Stress With Social Dancing

In today's fast-paced, busy world there are many things that can cause us stress: work, family, money or emergencies just to name a few. However, before your health is influenced by the negative effects of stress, you must learn to relax and let it all go. There are numerous ways to reduce your stress—but none are as enjoyable and expressive as social dancing. So what are some of the ways to get some relief from stress with social dancing?

Being Around Others

When people are stressed, usually they want to be alone and feel like pulling the covers over their head and ignoring the world for a while. But research indicates that having contact with other people is better for you and gives you support, is a wonderful distraction and aids you in handling life's roller coaster ride. Maybe you can deal with things on your own—or you think you can—but having others around makes it a lot easier and social dancing gives you that chance to communicate and have fun with students as well as staff.

Human Touch

Many times this is disregarded as a wonderful stress reducing technique. Just a touch of a hand to someone's arm can assist in releasing oxytocin which lets the body relax. There are many people today who work in an atmosphere where just a slight pat on the shoulder for a job well done isn't even allowed. Yet in the Social, you’re being held in your partner's arms throughout the dance or lesson. The power of another's touch can cease stress hormones from being released.

Exercise

Yes, it's the dreaded ''E'' word; but social dancing is a terrific form of exercise—particularly for those who don't like to do regular fitness routines. We all know exercise is great for your complete health, but it has a couple of stress-shattering advantages as well:

• The output of endorphins, your brain's neurotransmitters, is boosted up a notch during any kind of physical activity. The release of these endorphins helps to improve your mood and ease your anxiety.
• You might notice that, during a dance lesson, you've been focusing quite hard on learning your steps and the movements; so much so that you've entirely forgotten about your troubles. Concentrating on one task is a wonderful way to help relieve stress.

Listen to the Music

They say music calms the savage beast and it can do the same for you under stress. After all, dancing is simply moving to the music, right? It's true that social dancing can be done to energetic music but studies have shown that when the music is soothing and slower such as in the Rumbas, Waltzes and certain Viennese Waltzes they'll have positive benefits to the brain and help lower blood pressure.

Laughter

When you're re taking dance lessons, it's important that you're taught in a fun and easy manner—like we do here at Quick Quick Slow Social Dance Studio. Learn to laugh at yourself; everyone makes mistakes, especially while they're learning. Laughing releases those wonderful endorphins which reduce levels of adrenaline. Aside from feeling happier, you'll also notice that you can learn things easier and faster in addition to having your inhibitions lowered. As the saying goes, ''Laughter is the best medicine!''