How dancing can make you smarter and boost your IQ

• Dancing results in increased serotonin levels, the neurotransmitter responsible for enhancing many of the brain’s functions, both directly and indirectly.

• It reduces stress, which allows the brain to perform better as it’s not under a whole load of pressure. Pressure reduces our thinking rationale, and we tend to make rash decisions, which is not smart at all.

• Dancing improves your sense of well being - again, another factor that will affect the way you think, and you tend to make smarter choices when you feel this way. Note that it is not just about mindset, the chemicals your brain gets from dancing contribute to this as well.

• You learn better. Serotonin enhances learning abilities, so you will be able to make smarter decisions.

• Your memory is improved because of increased serotonin levels.

• You have a better appetite. Why is this important? The more you feel like eating, the more enthusiastic you will be about food, and you’ll put more effort into choosing what you want to eat. Food has a huge impact on the brain!

• You sleep better and the benefits of this for the brain are enormous.

• Dancing increases your intelligence, because it requires a significant amount of decision making, based on your partner’s moves. When you dance, many aspects of your brain are used - kinesthetic, musical, rational and emotional - which results in improved decision making, especially split-second decision making. You train your brain to create new neurological paths, which leaves you with more possibilities in solving problems.

• Your resistance to mental illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia is increased by 78% compared to people who don’t dance.

How You Can Start Dancing

Dancing may seem unappealing, especially when it comes to ballroom dancing - it’s not particularly at its trendiest right now. However, it’s definitely still one of the most romantic things you can do with your partner and can become something very memorable. Dancing is here to stay and remains one of the best relationship-strengthening activities that you can do with a partner.

If you have no partner, fret not! Dancing is a social activity, and it’s also a natural icebreaker, aside from being one of the most exhilarating dating activities.

When you join a dancing class, you will find a dance partner or even multiple dance partners, and you get to go through the fun process of learning how to dance – where everybody makes mistakes. You might even meet your dream date at a place like this.

• Look for advertisements in newspapers, or simply ask around to find out where you can learn dancing. It’s way worth the investment when you can meet new people, especially since you might be able to meet the person of your dreams. Dancing triggers romantic thoughts so you’re more likely to fall in love, and this applies to your dance partner too!

• Get DVDs that teach dancing. It’s only advisable for couples to do this because it’s really hard to learn alone. Plus, you won’t get to meet new people!

• Intimidated by going alone? It’s actually better to go alone, because you will naturally spend more time with the people there instead of hanging out with your clique all the time. Also, you’ll be free to go places after the lessons without any pressure because you’re alone!

• Still intimidated?! Find a friend who might be interested in taking dance lessons with you. There won’t be a lot of embarrassing moments because your friend would be learning too, and might even make mistakes than you do!

Jeremy Wong runs the popular blog BecomingSmarter.com, a regularly updated website featuring practical methods to unlock your brain’s maximum potential and ultimately, become smarter!

Visit www.becomingsmarter.com