Few people would disagree with the statement that we live in times of stress, and that our individual lives are often stressful. Everyone needs some form of activity to relieve such stress and occupy body and mind in relaxing and constructive ways. Some already know that dancing is a great antidote. Many others perhaps should explore and discover the realm of dancing, and learn how dancing can relieve the stress and strain of busy lives.

For time immemorial, dancing has been apart of human cultures. Perhaps dancing came into being because humans inherently recognize its benefits.Many physical activities can be stress relievers, but dancing has several attributes which make it an effective stress reliever.

Dancing in itself, total body movement which increases heartbeat, circulation and breathing, is a very healthy exercise. Add to this the fact that dancing is done in an atmosphere of social community and pleasure, that it is done to music and usually with a partner with whom one has a good relationship…and you have all the ingredients of a great stress reliever.

Many people are fully aware of the benefits of dancing, especially social dancing, and incorporate it into their daily lives. Some study dancing, which takes them to a studio and an environment outside daily chores. Usually those who study dancing, particularly ballroom dancing, also indulge in this happy activity regularly. They find it not only a good stress reliever, but a contributor to overall body/mind health.

Dancing can not only relieve the overall stress in your life, but it can help develop a strong relationship between partners, as it is an intimate, pleasurable shared experience. And a good relationship with a partner also helps to combat stress in one's life.

The fact that dancing in any form is usually performed to music adds another element to dancing as a stress reliever. Music sooths and stimulates in pleasant ways. The music to which ballroom dancing is done is also often reminiscent of pleasant times, past and present, and in this way brings another element to the process of stress relief. Pleasant memories evoked by music and the words that accompany songs are another antidote to stress. All things considered, dancing offers one of the most pleasant and effective methods of reducing stress in our daily lives. If you haven't tried it, take the steps…dance steps, that is, to include dancing in your life.