This is the science behind why dancing is good for your brain

This is the science behind why dancing is good for your brainThis is the science behind why dancing is good for your brainIs there anything more fun than agood dance party? Whether youre finding yourself in the middle of acrowded dance floor with friends and family at a weddingor have grabbed some gal pals for a night on the town jumping up and down to the hottest beats, theres really nothing better. Youre singing along at the top of your lungs, spending QT with people you care about, and generally having the best time. Its all kinds of wins.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAnd maybe you werent looking for more reasons to dance, but weve got em for you, anyway According toUC Berkeleys Greater Good Science Center, the chemicals released while dancing are actually really good for your brain. A recentreportfrom GGSC on the combination of chemicals cleverly coined byDaybreakerCEO and co-founder Radha Agrawal as DOSE (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins) - states that dancing uniquely benefits health and happiness.There are so many studies done around dance and happiness and the science of dance as a healing modality, Agrawal tells us. Its the most healing modality that exists on the planet. When you dance, it releases your DOSE.Heres the science behind DOSE, the special combination of chemicals that comes together when youre breaking it down on the dance floor.DopamineAccording to the report from GGSC, dopamine is all about rewards. Its released in the brain when we anticipate, enjoy, or remember pleasurable moments. Listening to music that we like increases dopamine levels, and since music is necessary for a good dance party, youre setting yourself up for a dopamine release any time you start moving to the beat. Dopamine is also tied to spontaneous body movements - hello, dancingOxytocinThe O in DOSE stands for oxytocin, which is the connection hor mone. You get it from the contact high of being shoulder to shoulder on the dance floor, Agrawal says. Its actually a natural high that we can release by being in a room with multiple people around us. Its a beautiful way to release your oxytocin. Basically, the more, the merrier, the more oxytocin.SerotoninPer the GGSC, serotonin is credited with allowing for emotional contentment and ease - and its where the exercise side of dancing comes into play. Any workout can increase the level of circulating serotonin, and a high-energy dance sesh is no exception. Healthy serotonin levels help prevent anxiety and depression, improve sleep quality, and slow the aging of the brain.EndorphinsLike serotonin, endorphins have to do with exercise. Youve likely heard the release of endorphins described as a runners high. Endorphins take your brain a step further than serotonin, though, by limiting feelings of tiredness and pain. They free up your energy to focus on the fun of dancing instead of th e fact that its making you sleepy and maybe even a little sore.If you still need proof of the wonders that dance can do for your mind and body, Agrawal can help. When people say seated meditation is the only way to meditate, theyre so wrong, she says. You can totally meditate and dance. Thats how I meditate - Im on the dance floor, dancing and meditating, reconnecting to myself, getting present to myself. Its true therapy.This article originally appeared on Brit and Co.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people