Avoid the "eight benefits of dancing for the elderly"

Experts interviewed:



Lu Yifan, Professor, Department of sports medicine, Beijing Sport University



Gou Bo, Professor, Department of Health Sciences, Xi'an Institute of Physical Education



Watching others dance is relaxing and happy, and jumping up by yourself is a good recipe for health. Recently, foreign research shows that dancing can enhance cardiopulmonary function, improve balance ability, promote brain health, pleasant mood and improve the quality of life, especially the happiness of the elderly in their later years.



There are six advantages of dancing frequently



Shanghai's aunt Lu is 60 years old. After retirement, she stays at home all day. Her children work in other places. They can't see a few times a year. The old couple always feel that everything is not satisfactory. Led by her neighbors, aunt Lu began to dance square dance six months ago. With the cheerful music stretching her body, she immersed herself in the dance steps. After the dance, we got together to chat and talk to each other. Slowly, aunt Lu asked her wife to participate. Now, the old couple have become dance fans and will dance at home from time to time. Aunt Lu said that since she began to dance, her wife's "General belly" was gone, her body was much slimmer, minor diseases and pain were no longer disturbed, heart disease gradually disappeared, and life was full of pleasure and happiness. Dancing seems to inject a new soul into your life.



Like aunt Lu, many old people have improved their physical and mental health by dancing. Experts say this is mainly due to the six magical changes brought about by dancing.



Strong heart and lung. Luyifan, a professor in the Department of sports medicine of Beijing Sport University, said that long-term adherence to dancing can enhance lung capacity, strengthen heart reserve capacity, enhance physical resistance and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.



Well balanced. A study by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, found that the balance ability of the elderly can be improved by 50% by dancing social dance for three months, three days a week and half an hour each time, and the risk of falls can be significantly reduced, which plays a significant role in preventing fractures caused by falls in the elderly.



Good flexibility. Gou Bo, a professor in the Department of Health Sciences of Xi'an Institute of physical education, believes that dancing can improve the flexibility of the human body. Large movements can fully stretch all parts of the body, increase the flexibility of muscles and joints, and enhance flexibility and coordination. Good flexibility will reduce the probability of sports injury.



Strong muscle. Gou Bo said that dancing is a whole-body exercise, which will use most of the muscles of the whole body. It can not only enhance muscle strength and endurance, but also improve the body shape. Regular dancing can also relax muscles and bones and reduce problems such as low back pain caused by insufficient exercise.



Brain stick. According to a study published in the New England Journal of medicine, regular dancing can reduce the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease by 76%, which is better than other sports. There is also a study that shows that physical contact with sick people can be improved.



Heart flower. Gou Bo said that dancing is a collective activity, which can help the elderly make new friends, contact old friends, increase social exchanges and enhance their social adaptability. Chatting together can drive away the sense of loneliness and loss. Dancing can improve physical function and virtually enhance self-confidence.



Dancing is good, but it should be moderate



Gou Bo pointed out that the elderly should choose dance according to their own health, sports ability and hobbies. The general principle is that the exercise intensity needs to be appropriately reduced with age.



50-60 years old, seeking happiness. Gou Bo said that the elderly in this age group have relatively good cardiopulmonary function. They can choose slightly cheerful dances according to their respective interests, such as tango, Cha Cha, social dance, etc. The range and frequency of exercise can be slightly faster, reaching moderate intensity exercise, 1 ~ 2 hours a day. Lu Yifan believes that the load of dancing should be appropriate. It is better to exercise 5 ~ 7 times a week and keep the heart rate at about 120 times per minute.



60 ~ 70 years old, seeking softness. Take the middle and low intensity exercise load as the degree, and appropriately reduce the action amplitude and frequency. Gou Bo said that the elderly in their 60s and 70s can choose to dance such as Yangko and fan dance. The movements are relatively soft and have less impact on the joints such as waist, knee and ankle, which can avoid the occurrence of sports fatigue injury. The target heart rate during exercise can be calculated by "170 age", and those with exercise foundation can appropriately increase it by 5 ~ 10 times / minute.



Over 70 years old, please move. Older people have significantly decreased cardiopulmonary function, poor sense of balance and flexibility, and an increased risk of sports injury. It is best to choose slow three, slow four, Tai Chi Dance and other soothing and soft dances. Gou Bo stressed that the elderly should avoid sudden large-scale twisting of the waist, hip rotation, lower waist and other actions to prevent joint and muscle injury or fracture.



The old man danced away from the "minefield"



The elderly pay attention to dancing and enjoy it, but they should avoid some "minefields".



Never dance on an empty stomach or after a full meal. Lu Yifan stressed that fasting dancing is prone to exercise-induced hypoglycemia; Dancing immediately after a full meal will affect digestive function and may lead to gastrointestinal diseases. So don't go to the square dance immediately after dinner. It's more appropriate to dance for an hour after dinner.



Don't dance too fast. Gou Bo reminded that you should do warm-up exercises for 5 ~ 10 minutes before dancing, such as jogging and stretching. Exercise step by step, do not suddenly increase the intensity and amount of exercise. When you feel tired, stop and have a rest for a few minutes.



Don't dance after drinking. The rise of drinking and dancing makes the heart beat faster and blood vessels dilate, which may induce angina pectoris and cerebral hemorrhage.



Learn to choose the field. Lu Yifan suggested that the elderly should not dance in crowded places, stay away from roads or dirty air, and avoid smog, rain, snow, strong wind and other weather; Choose a place with smooth air, less personnel and anti-skid ground. It is better to arrange the time in the afternoon or evening.



No hard soled shoes. Gou Bo suggested that for the elderly to dance, it is best to choose shoes with better cushioning, support and protection functions, such as sports shoes or leather shoes with thicker and softer soles.



Increase or decrease clothes in time. Gou Bo suggested that the elderly should increase or decrease their clothes in time according to the weather and physical reactions, and replenish water at the same time. Wipe dry in time after sweating. Don't drink cold drinks, blow electric fans and air conditioners immediately. When dancing in autumn and winter, don't take off your clothes at will in case you catch a cold.



Don't dance with illness. Gou Bo stressed that patients with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and other diseases should communicate with doctors before dancing. People with cold, fever and other symptoms should not dance rashly.



Feet and baths are indispensable. After each dance, do a stretching exercise. After returning home, you can reduce fatigue by taking a bath, soaking your feet, massage and other methods. If there is obvious acceleration of pulse, backache and low spirits on the next day, you should have a proper rest and reduce the intensity and time of dancing.