ZUMBA Mornington Peninsula

No Zumba class tonight
12/3/26

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Comment ‘Subscribe’ and I’ll DM you the link to my free newsletter. Exercise helps with anxiety, but not all exercise works the same way. Moving with other people triggers a different response in your brain than moving alone. Your nervous system evolved expecting movement to happen in groups. When you exercise with others, your brain releases more oxytocin, lowers cortisol, and registers a sense of belonging. That combination reduces anxiety in ways solo workouts can’t fully replicate. You don’t need a big group or intense conversation. Just being in the same space, doing the same thing, is enough to shift your brain out of threat mode. The worst combination for mental health is sitting alone for long periods. If that describes your daily life, scheduled group movement becomes essential. Your brain won’t get what it needs by accident. You have to build it in. Follow @psychologyfocus to move better. Further Reading: Ewuzie, Z., Ezeano, C., & Aderinto, N. (2024). A review of exercise interventions for reducing anxiety symptoms: Insights and implications. Medicine, 103(41), e40084. Marinelli, R., Parker, A. G., Levinger, I., Bourke, M., Patten, R., & Woessner, M. N. (2024). Resistance training and combined resistance and aerobic training as a treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms in young people. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 18(8), 585–598. Ratey, J. J., & Hagerman, E. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Little, Brown and Company. Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only. Please consult a qualified professional before applying any material contained. #PsychologyFocus #Neuroscience #MentalHealth #Psychology #GroupExercise #AnxietyRelief #MindBodyConnection

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Follow @goodneuroscience to optimize your brain health.

Several clinical trials have found that structured dance therapy can reduce depression symptoms, especially when it’s added to standard care.  What’s interesting is that the benefits don’t come from pushing harder, getting fitter, or “thinking more positively.”  Dance works by engaging the brain through movement, rhythm, and physical sensation all at once. These systems help regulate emotion, but in depression they often stop working smoothly together.  Rhythmic movement sends steady signals from the body back to the brain, which can help calm and organise emotional processing from the ground up. This helps explain why dance can reach emotional states that talking alone doesn’t always shift.

Sources:
Dance movement therapy for depression
https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009895.pub2

The Physiological and Psychological Benefits of Dance and its Effects on Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.925958

The Effects of Dance Movement Therapy in the Treatment of Depression: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial in Finland
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01687

Social dance and movement for mental health: A narrative review
https://doi.org/10.1002/mhs2.62

Evidence of the Effects of Dance Interventions on Adults Mental Health: A Systematic Review
https://doi.org/10.1177/1089313X231178095
 Disclaimer: Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Follow @goodneuroscience to optimize your brain health. #neuroscience #brainhealth #neurobiology #depression #dancetherapy

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Dance is not just movement. It combines coordination, memory, rhythm, learning, and social connection all at once. As a neurologist, I see how this kind of cognitive load strengthens neuroplasticity, builds cognitive reserve, and supports long term brain health. Other forms of exercise are excellent, but dance challenges the brain in ways most workouts do not. #brainhealth #neurology #neuroscience #cognitivereserve #neuroplasticity

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Everyone tells you to do puzzles or play an instrument to reduce the risk of dementia, but not a whole lot of people are talking about dancing. In one study, researchers found that people who danced more than once a week had a 76 percent lower risk of developing dementia than those who danced less often. Dr. Trisha Pasricha (@trishapasrichamd), an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and our Ask a Doctor columnist, suggests regularly busting a move as a great New Year's resolution.

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What if you could improve your memory, decision-making, and focus just by making small tweaks to your daily routine? Today we're revisiting an illuminating conversation with cognitive psychologist and author Therese Huston, PhD, who joined us to share practical, science-backed strategies for boosting brain health at any age. #ageistpodcast #ageist #brainhealth #memory

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‘Ori Tahiti 🇵🇫❤️ #tahiti #oritahiti #tahitian #polynesian

STRONG Nation™ 10-Minute Demo: LOW Just starting out? Sync to modified, lower-impact moves with this low-level intensity 10-minute demo. In a STRONG Nation™ class, our original music is the mo...

Great to be dancing in Rosebud again!