There’s shopping to be done. And baking.
And cleaning. And decorating. And runs to the airport.
The job. The kids. The guests from out of town.
Whew. Exhausting, isn’t it? And stressful.
You can feel it as you grab the steering wheel of your car in a death grip. As the lines in stores grow longer while time and your patience get shorter. As the demands increase but capacity to meet them is strained.
We can’t help you clean or decorate, but we can tell you this; dancing will help get you through the most stressful of times and that includes the holidays. Sure, this time of year is fun and festive, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. As the tension builds, the enjoyment dwindles.
So dance. With us. At Fred Astaire Dance Studios. Let the music wash over you and through you. Move your body. Free your mind and spirit. Dance!
Penn State University’s education department posted a blog about dancing as a way to relieve stress. We quote: “The scientific reason for why dance has the ability to act as a stress reliever stems from the idea that when the body feels good, the mind does too. Any type of physical activity releases the neurotransmitter, endorphins, which serve to alleviate stress. Neurotransmitters are chemicals within the brain that help communicate messages throughout the body. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkiller to reduce stress and improve the mind’s perception of the world.”
Mind and body. Together. The physical activity causes the mind to exorcise (see what we did there?) stress. You can read more of the science of it here: https://sites.psu.edu/sbxoxo/2015/11/05/dancing-to-relieve-stress/
There’s more, though. Dancing helps you keep in shape at a time of year when parties, cookies and snacks meet at your waistline. Exercise is always important, but more so at this time when calories and eating opportunities stack up.
As always, what you put in – eat, that is – will be more important than what you put out. So avoid the stress of holiday weight gain with a little discipline at the company party and add in a good dance workout (salsa, no chips) or three at your FADS studio. You will have more reason to feel good about yourself as you hold the (waist) line on weight gain and also de-stress with as healthy an activity – ballroom dance – as ever was created!
One more thing. Ballroom dance is communication. It is two people moving in harmony, an unspoken conversation. You might want to think about bringing that “other person” – who is also stressing out – to the studio for an evening of waltzing, a foxtrot or two and the chance to reconnect in an up-close, cozy way.
Bust your stress with dance. There’s nothing like a vigorous 45-minute session on the dance floor to loosen up that attitude and feel recharged. There’s every reason in the world to do it, including taking a short break from the world.
Set aside a few minutes for you … and maybe that “other person” as well. Take an an hour and let yourself move and unwind on the dance floor!
Trust us. You will love it. And that will allow you, at this hectic juncture, to love everything else around you just a little bit more!