If you want to get some exercise but can't go outside, and you don't have access to a gym, just put on some boogie shoes and crank up the tunes. A new study from Northeastern University says dancing can have the same health benefits as other forms of exercise like running.
"You don't necessarily need to have music, you don't need to have any training or a teacher, anyone—ostensibly—can dance right where they are and get a health-enhancing dose of physical activity," says Aston McCullough, assistant professor of physical therapy, human movement and rehabilitation sciences at Northeastern.
Other research has shown different types of dancing has many benefits such as improving balance and flexibility. It can also boost a person's psychological well-being.
While previous studies have looked at specific forms of dance like ballet and hip-hop, McCullough wanted to know if free-form dance would be enough to reach a moderate or vigorous intensity level so as to improve cardiovascular conditioning. He was not interested in trained dancers, but everyday people who liked to boogie down.
"We wanted to do a study that could give us the most bang for the buck, if you will," McCullough says. "We said that anyone who comes in can do whatever they want—just dance however you want to dance. In that way, it automatically increases the public health relevance of the study."
The study consisted of 50 participants between the ages of 18 and 83. They danced in five-minute intervals with and without self-selected music and set their own pace regarding moderate and vigorous intensity.
McCullough measured heart rates, perceived exertion and oxygen levels and found the dancing, even without music, was able to cause the study participants to reach the recommended levels for moderate and vigorous physical activity.
Although music led them all to dance more intensely, the ones who had previous training in dance did not expend any more energy than those without training.
McCullough is excited about the findings because he says it's another way people can reach the recommended 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
"People can dance without leaving their homes, people can dance without leaving a chair," McCullough says. "So, in that way, we're really excited about the benefits of dance for all people. Whatever may be your preferred way to dance, just make sure you have enough space around you to dance safely."