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Why Dancing May Be More Effective Than Exercise for Reducing Stress

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Why Dancing May Be More Effective Than Exercise for Reducing Stress
Happy senior couple dancing

Dancing, especially with other people, can effectively reduce stress (Miljan Zivkovic/Shutterstock)

In a nutshell

  • The unique combination of music, rhythm, social interaction, and physical movement in dance makes it a powerful tool for reducing stress and boosting mental health.
  • Dancing with a partner or in a group enhances stress relief by providing social support, physical touch, and a sense of connection, which triggers the release of oxytocin and endorphins.
  • Beyond the physical exercise, dance activates the brain’s reward system, potentially improving emotional regulation, promoting flow states, and contributing to long-term resilience.

GUILFORD, England Feeling stressed? Instead of hitting the gym, maybe you should hit the dance floor. Chronic stress wreaks havoc on our bodies and minds, and for years, experts have been telling us to exercise as a remedy. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend hours on the treadmill. A new international study shows that dancing can help manage stress, strengthen resilience, and improve overall well-being.

Sports psychologists have been documenting the benefits of physical activity for decades, leading to countless recommendations about getting active to cope with stress. But here’s what’s been missing from the conversation: not all forms of exercise affect us the same way when it comes to taming our stress response.

A new study published in Psychology of Sport & Exercise tackles this knowledge gap by zeroing in on dance, an activity that seems to have special powers when it comes to stress relief. Researchers from several European universities collaborated across disciplines to examine why dancing might deserve special attention in our stress-fighting toolkit.

Previous research has hinted that dance activities might be particularly good at softening the blow of stress, with some researchers informally calling it a “stress vaccine.” But this new review is the first comprehensive look at what makes dance so effective, bringing together insights from psychology, neurobiology, and anthropology.

The Perfect Stress-Fighting Combination

A woman dancingA woman dancing
You may actually be able to dance your stress away. (Studio Romantic/Shutterstock)

What makes dance stand out? It’s not just another way to move your body. Dancing weaves together music, rhythm, social connection, and physical movement to create what might be the perfect recipe for stress relief.

The researchers organized their investigation around these key components: the music and rhythm that drive the dance, the partnering and social aspects of dancing with others, and the physical movement itself. Each element contributes to stress regulation on its own, but combined in dance, they create something greater than the sum of their parts.

Music itself works wonders on our stress levels. The review found plenty of evidence that just listening to music can lower anxiety and help people relax. When we hear music, our brain’s reward system kicks into gear, releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins while potentially dialing down cortisol, our body’s main stress hormone.

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One fascinating study discovered that dancing to “groovy” music produces a state of flow, that wonderful feeling of being completely absorbed in what you’re doing, which didn’t happen when people merely listened to the same music without dancing.

Brain research shows that music lights up the circuits involved in pleasure and reward, while also activating areas that regulate our body’s balance and stress response. Our love of rhythm might even have evolutionary roots, potentially serving as an ancient mechanism that fostered cooperation and social connections among our ancestors.

The Power of Dancing Together

Couple dancingCouple dancing
Dancing with others releases endorphins and allows you to connect with people. (Miljan Zivkovic/Shutterstock)

Dancing with someone else adds another layer of stress-busting power. The review notes that dancing with a partner or in a group seems more beneficial than dancing solo. Social support and physical contact can notably reduce our physiological stress response. Touch, especially, helps buffer stress by triggering pathways in the brain that release oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone,” along with endorphins.

Looking at dance through an anthropological lens shows how it has historically brought people together, building social bonds and expressing emotions collectively. Across cultures, dance creates shared spaces for healing and developing group coping strategies. When people move in sync while dancing, it fosters a sense of unity and connection that can be comforting during tough times.

Dance’s physical movement works against stress much like other exercises do but with some particular advantages. All physical activity boosts endorphins and dopamine, helps regulate stress hormones, and promotes overall health. But dance movement, with its rhythmical quality, seems to offer something extra.

One study found that dance training improved cortisol regulation in older adults more effectively than regular aerobic exercise, even though only the aerobic exercise group showed improved fitness. This suggests that dance affects our stress-response system through more than just physical conditioning.

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Beyond Traditional Exercise

The evidence suggests dance deserves special consideration as a stress-management tool. Its combination of features works on multiple levels simultaneously: reducing isolating feelings, building resources like self-esteem and social support, potentially dampening our immediate stress reactions, and boosting overall well-being.

This doesn’t mean you should ditch your regular workout routine if it’s working for you. But adding some form of dance, whether it’s a structured class, social dancing, or just moving to music at home, might give you stress-fighting benefits that other exercises can’t match.

Paper Summary

Methodology

The researchers initially attempted a systematic literature review on dance and stress but found limited studies directly examining this relationship. They pivoted to a narrative review approach, incorporating research from psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology. Their team organized findings into three main categories: music and rhythm; partnering and social contact; and movement and physical activity. For each section, they presented evidence from psychological studies, neurobiological research, and socio-cultural perspectives.

Results

The review revealed that music activates the brain’s reward system while potentially lowering stress hormones. When combined with movement in dance, it creates unique states like “flow” that aren’t achieved through listening alone. Studies showed dancing with partners produces more positive effects than solo exercise, with synchronization promoting feelings of connection. The physical aspect of dance contributes to stress regulation through multiple pathways, including boosting endorphins and improving overall health. Notably, dance training improved cortisol regulation better than traditional aerobic exercise, suggesting benefits beyond mere fitness improvements.

Limitations

The authors acknowledge several constraints. Few studies directly examine recreational dance and stress, forcing them to broaden their approach. Their narrative review methodology lacks the systematic rigor that would minimize selection bias. They couldn’t address all relevant dance characteristics, omitting factors like communication, body awareness, and emotional expression. “Dance” encompasses many styles from structured routines to spontaneous movement, a complexity they couldn’t fully explore. Finally, it’s difficult to isolate which specific components (music, social contact, or movement) drive particular benefits.

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Discussion and Takeaways

The researchers emphasize this review provides a first step toward understanding the complex relationship between dance and stress regulation. They argue dance uniquely integrates mind, body, and cultural elements, making it particularly effective for building coping skills and resilience. For the field of exercise psychology, they recommend moving beyond the traditional focus on exercise intensity to consider social components, touch, and musical elements. Understanding the mechanisms behind different exercise types could lead to more personalized and effective stress management recommendations.

Funding and Disclosures

The paper does not mention any specific funding sources or financial conflicts of interest.

Publication Information

The paper, “Dance and stress regulation: A multidisciplinary narrative review,” was authored by Sandra Klaperski-van der Wal, Jonathan Skinner, Jolanta Opacka-Juffry, and Kristina Pfeffer. It was published in Psychology of Sport & Exercise (volume 78, Article 102823) in 2025. The authors are affiliated with Radboud University (Netherlands), the University of Roehampton, the University of Surrey (UK), and the University of Southern Denmark.

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At 31, I’m the Strongest I’ve Ever Been—This Female-Focused Training Plan Is to Thank

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At 31, I’m the Strongest I’ve Ever Been—This Female-Focused Training Plan Is to Thank

I was in my early 20s when I first experienced the power of strength training firsthand. I was working at Women’s Health magazine and was tasked with learning to deadlift for twelve weeks at a CrossFit-style gym with a personal trainer.

I’d always been into movement, but found the concept of weights pretty terrifying before that. Most of the gyms were male-dominated spaces, and the gym plans were male-specific, too; plus, I’d grown up in a generation terrified of weight training making you “bulky” and determined to typecast muscle mass as “non-feminine.”

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Unlikely habit helped new parents shed 50 kilos

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Unlikely habit helped new parents shed 50 kilos

Books are getting Australians into the gym and keeping them there longer, and the benefits of this emerging health trend aren’t just physical – they’re mental too.

Listening to audiobooks and podcasts helped Yvonne Kong, 41, and her husband get back into fitness after becoming parents and lose a combined 50 kilos.

Yvonne Kong, 41, used podcasts to get back into exercise and stay motivated. Yvonne Kong

It also helped them broaden their minds and carve out a bit of “me time” in our busy modern world.

Audiobooks and podcasts have given Aussies the chance to turn exercise into a vehicle for learning, training their minds and bodies simultaneously. Some are even taking their e-readers and paperbacks to the gym (more on that later).

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“Listening to a story while working out actually helped me stay motivated and more consistent,” Kong told nine.com.au.

Like many Aussies, she used to dread hitting the treadmill and constantly found herself counting down the minutes until her session was over.

That changed when she hit play on a true-crime podcast during a workout.

Kong got so caught up in the story she forgot about the timer on her treadmill until her workout was over.

“I did an hour treadmill course and actually finished it without noticing,” she said.

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Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Skipper at mleach@nine.com.au

Since then, she’s found herself looking forward to exercising because it gives her an hour of dedicated listening time.

Her husband does the same while running; he took up listening to audiobooks because it motivated him to run longer and more often so he could get through the story.

The benefits of reading/listening while exercising

About one in three Aussies now listen to audiobooks when they exercise, according to data from Audible.

More than a third of them exercise for longer because of it, one quarter work out more often, and half experience better mood during exercise.

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Data released exclusively to nine.com.au revealed both men and women reported these positive experiences at an almost identical rate, despite often having different workout routines and attitudes towards exercise.

Audiobooks are particularly popular with runners, more than a third of whom say they feel more focused on their run while listening.

Personal trainer Ben Lucas is one of them; he started listening while running to make time pass quickly and train his mind as well as his body.

“You’re out there anyway, so you may as well be learning something valuable while you do it,” he told nine.com.au.

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What the experts think

Mindfulness expert Luke McLeod told nine.com.au there has even been some research into how exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which helps information retention.

Lucas devours business and personal development audiobooks like Atomic Habits by James Clear while working out, a trend which has become known as ‘personal development/PD stacking’.

The goal is to “double-up of some type of personal development like listening to an e-book, which works out the mind, while also working out the body,” McLeod said.

Luke McLeod, author and founder of Soul Alive and Workplace Wellbeing Australia.

‘PD stacking’ is the new health optimisation trend, according to Luke McLeod. Luke McLeod

It’s all about optimising time in our busy world, which is particularly appealing to Aussies who are time-poor; like new parents trying to juggle work and a baby.

“When I’m with [my daughter], I’m trying to be present for her, so I’m not going to be listening to podcasts or anything,” Kong said.

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“When I exercise, that’s my time.”

Ben Lucas, personal trainer and head coach of TCS Sydney Marathon.

Personal trainer Ben Lucas has been using audiobooks to stay on track with his running. Ben Lucas

McLeod agreed that reading or listening while working out can be a great form of self-care for some Aussies.

The only pitfall is that not every workout is suited to it.

It’s hard to keep up with an audiobook or podcast if you’re trying to count reps while strength training, and there’s no way to read an e-book on a rowing machine.

“I find podcasts and audiobooks work best during longer, slower cardio sessions,” Lucas said.

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“Whether it’s an easy run, walk, or long ride, you can relax into the session, tune out a little, and focus on what you’re listening to while still getting the work done.”

He also warned Aussies to stay aware of their surroundings and hazards like traffic, cyclists, other pedestrians, or uneven paths if they listen while exercising outdoors.

McLeod added that stacking habits like exercise and reading isn’t worth it if one interrupts the other.

Road testing reading at the gym

I’ve been in and out of the gym a lot over the last decade, jumping from strength training, to reformer Pilates, and other programs in between.

But my favourite way to exercise is to hop on a treadmill with my Kindle.

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I rest it on the console, set a slight incline and a moderate speed and lose myself for an hour. No workout has ever felt faster or easier.

Reporter Maddison Skipper reads a Kindle while walking on the treadmill at her local gym.

My Kindle fits perfectly into the little divot on the treadmill console meant for a phone or tablet. Maddison Skipper

The pros: Focusing on what I’m reading takes my mind off the clock and get through an hour of cardio without getting bored or losing motivation.

Reading at the gym also helps me stay consistent because it’s one of the few places I can just switch off and focus on my book without interruptions, so I want to keep coming back.

That hour of dedicated reading time has also been great for my mental health because it forces me to slow down and focus on something completely removed from any stress in my own life.

The cons: It did take a few sessions to get used to reading while moving, but raising the brightness on my Kindle and setting it to a larger font really helped.

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Those who prefer to listen don’t have to worry about any of that though; just download an audiobook and you’re good to go.

I also invested in a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to muffle the dance music that plays over my gym’s loudspeakers, which made it much easier to focus.

Reporter Maddison Skipper reads a Kindle while walking on the treadmill at her local gym.

Reading at the gym allows Aussies like me to work on my physical and mental fitness simultaneously. Maddison Skipper

Now the only downside to reading at the gym that I sometimes hit a slump after I finish a really good book because I don’t want to hit the gym again until I find something new to read.

The verdict: It’s not for everyone, but I have found that reading at the gym has been the best way for me to stay motivated and consistent.

I feel good about taking the time to work on both my body and my mind a few times a week, and I’ve been able to check some amazing books off my ‘to be read’ list while working out.

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Audiobooks make it even easier for Aussies who want to exercise without the hassle of a physical book or e-reader, or who have different accessibility needs.

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8News tries Pilates exercises for Fitness Friday

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8News tries Pilates exercises for Fitness Friday

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — 8News got a visit from two special guests Friday to learn about the benefits of Pilates and try out some beginner moves.

8News anchors Autumn Childress and Delaney Hall were joined by Laura Mae Harper and Angie Madison with Point and Flex Pilates. The studio, which opened on Sept. 3 last year, offers a variety of classes, ranging from beginner to intermediate and advanced.

“We went through years of teaching at other places and developed this beautiful studio for them and this community, and we’re super excited about it,” Harper said.

For more information, visit Point and Flex Pilates.

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