A study reveals that seniors who practiced dance were significantly less affected by the degradation of their intellectual functions than those who practiced any other activity. To guard against senile dementia or degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, dancing seems to be really effective.

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The study

Researchers in neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the United States have investigated the relationship between recreational activities and the onset of dementia. Senile dementia (or senility) is a degradation of the intellectual faculties appearing in people over 70 years.
The study focused on 6 leisure activities (reading, writing, crossword puzzles, cards, discussions, music) and 9 physical activities (swimming, cycling, dancing, exercise groups, team games such as bowling, Household, babysitting) by assigning points according to their frequency of practice (daily, several times a week, once a week, monthly or never). The subjects were over 75 years of age.

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Dance, more effective than crossword puzzles

Among the physical activities studied, dance is the only one that considerably reduces the risk of senile dementia. Practiced regularly, it reduces this risk by 76%! Twice as much as reading. Other physical activities did not indicate any significant impact. Unlike most other physical practices, dance involves a mental effort and significant social interactions. The association of intellectual and social stimulations is the reason why regular dancers are more protected. Physical activity alone has no demonstrable protective effect against senility, although it is clearly beneficial to health.

Among the cognitive activities, reading, playing board games and playing a musical instrument are associated with the lowest risk of dementia. The risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia is 47% lower for those who play crosswords than once a week.

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Dancers, more intelligent

If dance can help to age better, it also has an immediate effect, at any age, on intelligence. According to Howard Garder, a development psychologist at Harvard University, there are 9 forms of intelligence. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is one of them. It is the intelligence of movement. Dancers are like athletes or surgeons, they are intelligent body, which means they have more ability to manipulate objects and great abilities to use their motor skills. They can put things together, and even invent, with great ease. In addition to efficient object management, they have better capabilities for balance, coordination, speed, strength and flexibility. Great dancers are often great athletes. In addition, they are more likely to transmit their feelings and thoughts through body movements, as well as to learn by imitating a person's actions.

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The sum of small effort gives huge results

@siavach, happy steemian, fan of photography and salsa