No matter if one does it for exercise or sport, dancing is one of the best ways for people of any age to stay fit. Indeed, no matter if you are 5 or 105, dancing is a great activity for the entire family. That being said, for those who have may need help motivating an elderly friend or family member to be more active, please consider these benefits of adding dancing into your senior workout regimen.

Tone Up- The first effect of dancing for seniors is that it helps to tone up the body. No matter if one is looking to tone up or if they need to lose a few pounds, taking dance classes, or simply dancing on one’s own, is a great way to tone virtually every part of the body.

Improve Posture/ Prevent Falls- In addition to helping to improve overall muscle tone, dancing also helps to improve posture and thus, help prevent falls. Given the fact that falls that lead to serious injuries are a fairly common occurrence amongst the elderly, it is a great idea to introduce them to some sort of dance class. This will slowly improve their posture and overall ability to maintain balance.

Increase Stamina and Flexibility- What’s more, dancing also helps to increase stamina and flexibility. This is due to the fact that regularly participating in cardiovascular exercise helps to slowly increase the amount of time one can be active, without feeling worn down or winded. Furthermore, it also helps improve your overall range of motion.

Reduce Stress- Another positive effect of dancing  is that is helps to relieve stress. It is a well known fact that exercise produces endorphins, which ultimately helps to leave a person feeling much calmer overall.

Ward off Illnesses- One of the best ways dancing effects the body is by helping to ward off illnesses. This is due to the fact that dancing helps to strengthen the heart and thus, improves its general functionality, and ultimately wards off a host of diseases that can caused by a malfunctioning heart. This is vital for elderly and aging persons as cardiovascular diseases can often lead to deadly prognoses.

Overall, dancing provides a vast array of benefits for not only the elderly, but for people of all ages. Help encourage the seniors in your life by suggesting an appropriate dance class today!