Happy National Men’s Health Month! Every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (and the rest of the world, really) takes time to focus on the medical issues currently facing men of all ages and the steps guys can take to solve them.

It sounds like a big undertaking, but really it’s as simple as making small changes and starting new habits to make yourself healthier and happier. We’re all about health and happiness at Fred Astaire Dance Studio, so we put together a list of things that dance can do for your health.

Dancing is great exercise. Fred Astaire once said that dancing is a “sweat job,” and we couldn’t agree more. Two of the biggest issues that face men are heart health and obesity, and dancing helps with both. Dancing is aerobic; it gets your heart rate up and has even been shown to improve heart and blood vessel function. Dancing also burns calories fast, keeping you on track to lose weight.

Dancing makes you happy. It’s obvious that dancing is good for your body, but it’s also good for your head. According to the National Institute for Mental Health, more than 6 million men suffer from depression each year. Dance can help with that. The endorphins produced by the movement and working together as a group have been shown to help ease stress, anxiety, and depression.

You’ll sleep better at night. A recent study by the American Dance Therapy Association revealed that dancing is a great cure for insomnia. It could have something to do with the endorphins and the feeling of stress melting away, but we like to think it has a lot to do with the workout as well. Getting into a regular, healthy dance routine will leave you beat but refreshed.

Dancing promotes healthy intimacy. Studies suggest that ballroom dancing makes partners (both of the dance and romantic varieties) closer. It strengthens trust between two people and helps break down barriers about physical intimacy in relationships. Don’t believe us? Ask your partner how they’d feel about taking a ballroom dance class with you, and see what happens!

To recap, if you like being healthier and happier, congratulations — dance is right for you! Fred Astaire Dance Studios offers private and group instruction for ballroom dance, and we’d be happy to help you get started dancing your way to better health.