Dancing and Heart Health: The Cardio Effects

And when he’s not dancing or seeing patients, Dr. Sheere shares an unexpected, highly entertaining mixture of dance clips, salutes to his Indian-American heritage, and actionable suggestions for improving cardiovascular health together with his 120K TikTok followers.

Wish to get in on the heart-health completely happy dance? Listed below are Dr. Shere’s top 4 explanation why dancing should play a starring role in your regular heart health routine.

1. Dancing is (often) aerobic exercise

“Many structured dance [fitness] classes are precisely the variety of exercise the American Heart Association recommends: sustained, moderate aerobic exercise for a minimum of half-hour at a time,” says Dr. Shere. Go to class five times every week, and also you’ll be passing those AHA guidelines with flying colours.

Here, moderate exercise means continuous movement that requires a medium amount of effort. “Aerobic exercise is any type of exercise that increases your heart rate, in order that eventually you’ll improve your cardiovascular fitness,” explains Dr. Shere.

Undecided in case you’re dancing at a moderate intensity? Your respiratory and heart rate will probably be faster than once you’re at rest, but you’ll still have the opportunity to hold on a conversation without excessive effort.

2. Dancing can improve your lipid profile

Let’s discuss cholesterol. As Dr. Shere says, “Regular exercise, like dancing, has been shown to positively impact your lipid profile,” which is a test cardiologists use to measure several types of fat in your blood.

In line with Dr. Shere, “Habitual aerobic dancing can increase your high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (aka HDL, or ‘good,’ cholesterol) and manage or lower your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (aka LDL, or ‘bad,’ cholesterol).” LDL cholesterol is the type that contributes to plaque buildup in your arteries, which frequently results in heart disease. So anything that decreases it’s a surefire heart-healthy selection.

3. Dancing relieves stress

“Negative mental-health symptoms like stress definitely have an effect in your heart,” says Dr. Shere. “There are literally types of heart failure that may occur from long-term exposure to emotional stress that weakens the center muscle.”

Periodically taking time to bop it out could help shield your ticker from long-term effects of stress. For max profit, pick a dance style and musical genre that make you’re feeling completely happy and relaxed.

4. Dancing is for everybody

“Dance not only helps your heart and your overall health,” says Dr. Shere, “It’s also really fun.” Regardless of your interests, time/financial constraints, ability, or current level of physical fitness, there are dance offerings on the market that will be an ideal fit for you.

“Once I discuss exercise with my patients, I at all times tell them that the ‘best’ exercise is something that you just enjoy and may stay consistent with,” Dr. Shere adds. “If you happen to’re not going to enjoy it, you’re not going to do it. Dancing is nothing to be terrified of, and it’s not a chore. Rejoice the enjoyment of expressing yourself through movement, and revel in the heart-health advantages that include it.”

Able to get your groove on? Do this 10-minute cardio dance routine: