24/05/2026
Found this interesting...
Dancing helps with menopause and perimenopause because it hits a bunch of the symptoms at once - physical, mental, and hormonal. It’s one of the few things that’s exercise + social + fun.
Here’s how it actually helps:
# # # *1. Bone and muscle health*
Estrogen drops during perimenopause/menopause, which speeds up bone loss and muscle loss.
- Weight-bearing dance styles like salsa, hip-hop, tap, even fast walking dances, put stress on bones that helps slow bone density loss.
- The resistance and balance work helps maintain muscle mass and strength, which also protects joints.
# # # *2. Hot flashes, sleep, and mood*
- *Mood & anxiety*: Dancing releases endorphins and dopamine. Studies on aerobic exercise show it reduces anxiety and depressive symptoms, which often spike in perimenopause.
- *Sleep*: Regular moderate activity improves sleep quality. Evening classes are best avoided if you’re sensitive to overheating, but daytime/evening classes help regulate circadian rhythm.
- *Hot flashes*: Exercise doesn’t stop them for everyone, but many women report fewer or less intense flashes when they’re regularly active. The temperature regulation from sweating during dance can also help your body adapt.
# # # *3. Weight and metabolism*
Hormonal changes make it easier to gain belly fat and harder to maintain muscle.
- Dancing burns 200-400 kcal/hour depending on intensity, and builds lean muscle which helps with metabolism.
- It’s usually easier to stick to than the gym because it doesn’t feel like “exercise.”
# # # *4. Balance and brain*
Falls risk goes up with age and lower estrogen. Dance trains balance, coordination, and reaction time.
- The learning component - memorizing steps, rhythm - also gives your brain a workout, which helps with “brain fog” that’s common in perimenopause.
# # # *5. Stress and social connection*
Isolation and stress make symptoms worse. Dance classes give you social contact and a focus outside of symptoms. Group dance especially has been studied for lowering cortisol.
_What we do helps, and it works_
*Keep, keeping on*💃
