Use It or Lose It — Do Effortful Mental Activities Protect against Dementia?
by J. T. Coyle (June 19, 2003) has shown that people who engage in dancing (along with doing crossword puzzles!) are less likely to suffer from Alzheimers, senile dementia and other brain disorders as they age. Go to nearly any dance class and you will find dancers well into their 80s and even 90s who are still dancing, still learning new dances, and still actively participating on the dance floor, though perhaps no longer dancing every dance. (4) It’s a great stress-reliever. Unlike many activities that allow you to think about, worry over, and plan other activities, dance requires most, if not all, of your attention. Some have said they consider dance to be like Novocaine. Yes, the problems of your life are there when you get out of dance class, but for a few hours, you didn’t have time to think about them. And as with most physical activity, dance is a stress-reliever. (5) It’s usually not competitive. Most of us spend a lot of time competing, whether it is part of our job or part o
