Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
December 12, Vol. 07-197

Dance Your Way to Better Health

The following is from the CDC-sponsored National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (www.ncpad.org)

The holidays are a time when many people reflect on the past year and pledge to improve their commitment to healthy living. When beginning to explore options for initiating an exercise program or maintaining current fitness level by using a variety of new activity strategies, consider non-traditional exercise programs that have been beneficial to some populations of people with disabilities. I first thought of writing about this topic when seeing an advertisement for Dance Detour (see this month's Community Voice, "Everyone Can Dance" at http://www.ncpad.org/yourwrites/fact_sheet.php?sheet=580) and thought this could intrigue people who had not previously been active, but who may be looking for something to get them interested in and excited about exercise. I spoke recently with Alana Wallace, founder of Dance Detour, who has observed in herself and others that dance can decrease stress and increase muscle tone, physical endurance, and self-confidence. She explained that dance may also increase brain activity and stimulate memory through the use of choreography, and help prevent or lessen the effects of secondary conditions such as depression and social isolation.

Aerobic exercise has many physiological benefits, and recent research has provided evidence that it may also have beneficial effects on cognitive function, as was found in a sample of people with multiple sclerosis. Although not well-studied in the research literature, there is some evidence that aerobic dance can increase cardiovascular endurance in people with disabilities. Cluphf and colleagues (2001) found that a 12-week, 3-day-per-week, low-impact aerobic dance program significantly improved cardiovascular endurance and function in a group of 15 adults with intellectual disabilities as compared to a control group who did not exercise. The dance sessions began with a 5-minute stretching warm-up and then a 12-minute aerobic dance portion that was increased by 1 minute every session until participants were completing 30 minutes of continuous dance. The dance moves included marching, punching, and side-stepping in addition to movement to songs such as "The Twist," "The Swim," and "The Locomotion." The sessions ended with a 5- to 10-minute cool-down of slow movements and stretches. Participants in the aerobic dance program demonstrated cardiovascular endurance improvement in addition to improved speed during timed walking tests.

So, during this holiday season, as you are contemplating how you can begin an exercise program that will offer the ability to improve your health and decrease your risk for secondary conditions, consider forms of dance that, depending on music and choreography, can include creative, modern, and more traditional styles of dance. By customizing the type of dance you perform, you may be more likely to maintain this exercise because of the variety of options. Happy Holidays from all of us at NCPAD and may the New Year bring you joy and happiness!

References

• Jeong, S. & Kim, M. T. (2007). Effects of a theory-driven music and movement program for stroke survivors in a community setting. Applied Nursing Research, 20, 125-131.
• Cluphf, D., O'Connor, J., & Vanin, S. (2001). Effects of aerobic dance on the cardiovascular endurance of adults with intellectual disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 18, 60-71.

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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.