3 REASONS YOUR BODY WILL THANK YOU FOR BELLY DANCING

Belly dancing is a great way to get your body moving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people are staying at home to avoid the possibility of exposure to the virus, and unfortunately, some people are feeling the physical impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. If you are looking for a way to move around inside, shimmying your way to better health is a fun way to get moving. According to Shira, a Middle Eastern dance expert, there are many benefits to practicing the art of belly dance. Today I am highlighting three reasons your body will thank you for belly dancing!

Help Circulation

The pandemic has many professionals working from home. Like me, you may feel guilty leaving your desk to take short breaks as you often would in an office setting. Or, after work, you might sit down on the couch to destress and binge-watch your favorite shows. According to the University of Vermont's Health Network, sitting down for prolonged periods affects how your body's heart works to circulate your blood. Belly dance is a great way to increase your blood flow. In belly dance, there is a mixture of sharp and flowing movements. The juicy flowing movements allow you to sway and noodle your body along to the music. The flowing movements will help your body circulate your blood.

Improve Joint & Muscle Health

Having a strong body is one key to being mobile. Exercising will allow your body's joints and muscles to get to work. When you exercise your joints and muscles, they will gain strength. Belly dancing to a few songs each day will help you gain mobility. When you belly dance, you can set aside time to drill specific movements. By drilling movements that focus on certain areas of your body, you can focus on the body parts most impacted by sitting for a long time.

Reduce Stress

Belly dancing can help to reduce your stress, which can help to reduce your blood pressure. The sharp and flowing mixture of belly dance movements allows you to either express how you are feeling or interpret the feeling the music gives with your dance expression. This expression will enable you to release any negative emotions or tension in the body. By releasing negative feelings or tension, you will begin to feel relieved after dancing, and you will notice your stress levels reducing. Managing your stress can also help with maintaining a healthy blood pressure level.

Conclusion

Overall, a beginner belly dance class can be an excellent choice for a low-impact exercise form to get your body moving during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many ways to learn belly dance, like in Zoom classes, in-person at dance studios, or social media. You can try my free belly dance classes by visiting my Youtube channel here.

References and resource links

1. http://www.shira.net/advice/health/heal-physical1.htm

2. https://www.sahinabellydance.com/blog/what-science-tells-us-about-bellydance

3. https://www.uvmhealth.org/coronavirus/staying-healthy/pandemics-heart-breaking-side-effect-sitting-sitting-sitting

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8204717/

5. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/just-dance-a-prescription-for-mental-wellbeing/fgWxctIPD5EzRA?hl=en