Dancing, a good option against hypertension in the elderly
Have fun, it keeps us active and combines the benefits of physical and mental exercise. The dance It is a good decision to occupy our free time. Even more so after the University of Granada has found that dance improves the quality of life in women with hypertension and makes their sleep better. A highly recommended activity for our seniors and for any adult who begins to have hypertension problems.
Improvement of tension
To demonstrate this theory, researchers from the University of Granada chose a sample of 67 middle-aged women prehypertensive and hypertensive. These women were divided into two groups where they participated in a randomized and monitored trial. One of these formations had to continue with their usual life and take the same medication and perform any activity that was common in their daily routine.
The second group of women started a therapy dance where the dance was added to his usual medication. The idea of the researchers was to see how this activity affected their daily routines. This program, consisting of three weekly sessions, was carried out for eight weeks.
This dance program was composed of dance steps chosen in order to improve the balance, displacement of the body and relocation of the center of gravity. The researchers analyzed how this activity influenced blood pressure, quality of life and sleep.
Improvements in all patterns
The results of this study showed that those women who were introduced to the dance as therapy Extra medication showed better results in the analyzed patterns. That is, the participants who started in the dance program showed better results in their level of blood pressure, quality of life and sleep hygiene.
However, those responsible for the study mentioned that although promising, these results should be assessed with care. More than a generalized norm, this research should be the first of many others aimed at demonstrating how dancing can significantly improve the quality of life of those who practice it.
Other benefits of dancing
The dance does not only affect the quality of life and blood pressure of those who practice it. Dance becomes one of the best activities that can be done in a family that also provides many benefits at the psychological level. In addition, that all members of the household attend the same class helps to strengthen the links between them by sharing the same hobby.
These are some of the psychological benefits of dancing:
1. Improve the mood. Dance classes are a pleasant distraction, a good way to relax after a hard day and share a good time with your family. It reduces the state of tension and stress, achieving feelings of well-being.
2. Improvement of the concentration. Being attentive to the steps and getting to know each other choreographically makes us control our movements better. This will help in other activities such as study.
3. Improve the self-esteem and self-recognition. That someone is able to learn a complete choreography and then put it into practice makes self-confidence increase. Also practicing in front of so many people and that little by little the fear of making mistakes is gone helps the feeling of shame to be reduced.
4. Prevents cerebral aging. Dance brings great mental challenges that are the key to maintaining mental agility and brain health.
5. Help socialize. Dancing is a social activity, which provides many opportunities to interact with other people. Attending dance classes can improve interpersonal relationships, as it is a meeting point to make friends and improve the development of social skills.
Damián Montero
