Moving to music comes naturally to everyone, even if someone doesn’t have moves like Jagger. If working out has never been his or her thing, dance could be a solution to living a healthy lifestyle.

Since the dawn of time dancing has been a part of human life. People are hardwired to move when they hear a beat. The sync of rhythmic movements to music is a universal phenomenon. Hearing a beat a person just can’t resist or a song that just makes someone move is innate. Instinctual rhythm response starts in the brain where musical vibrations light up timing circuits resulting in movement.

People should listen to one’s instincts instead of resisting. Getting into the groove could benefit one’s health more than a person may think. Studies show that dance might be the boost a workout needs. Helping with weight loss, flexibility and stress-reduction — dance is a manageable and lively way to keep the mind, body and spirit healthy.

Dancing is a mental challenge as well as a physical one. A study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that frequent dancers had a reduced risk of dementia compared to others who never danced. Out of the 11 physical activities considered in the study, dancing was the only one tied to a lowered risk of dementia. Dancing can also better a person’s memory by reversing volume loss in the hippocampus, the part of the brain controlling memory.

Aside from bettering the brain, dancing benefits a person’s mental well being also. A controlled study in the Journal of Applied Gerontology discovered that the social aspect and musical accompaniment of dance can help reduce stress, which is something everyone could use a little more of. Another study testing the effects of dancing on depression discovered that patients diagnosed with depression that took part in group dance showed the least amount of depression symptoms. Taking care of mental health is equally as important as taking care of physical health. The beautiful thing about dancing is that it improves both.

Many might think that dancing isn’t up to the standard of being a “real workout,” but the weight-bearing activity is actually excellent for the upper body and strength, according to exercise physiologist Catherine Cram.

Depending on the type of dance and skill level, Cram said once the heart rate gets moving, a person is beginning to get in a great workout. The amount of calories someone burns will depend on his or her body and the amount of energy put into dancing. The USDA physical activity guidelines said dancing is a “moderate activity” and that adults should get in 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day.

If a person is bored of his or her daily workout routine, switching up the exercise program with dance might be exactly what’s needed. According to a study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, aerobic dance training is just as effective at weight loss and increasing aerobic power as cycling and jogging. Dancing can serve as a more exciting option for a workout routine, helping a person stay motivated to get off the couch and get moving.

Being a creature of habit isn’t always a good thing, especially when it comes to working out. Regular exercise is key, but so is varying the routine. Introducing a new workout like dancing can help break through a weight-loss plateau, prevent overuse injuries, beat workout boredom and help a person get excited about exercising.

Stretching associated with dance can increase flexibility, helping ease joint pain and post-exercise soreness. Stretching also helps develop long, lean muscles. Dancing also involves a lot of good posture and quick movements, which over time can help a person gain better control of his or her body and improve balance.

This type of of workout can also work muscles people didn’t know they had. This often happens with a new activity according to spokesman for USA Dance Ken Richards. Richards also said that dancing can work the back of the thighs and buttock muscles differently than other types of exercise helping you get you get in shape in new ways.

The beauty of dance is that there are so many different kinds to choose from. Whether it is shamelessly dancing around by oneself at home or going the whole nine yards by signing up for a class, there is a place for everyone. The important thing is choosing to move. However a person decides to get down can result in serious rewards. So go ahead, get into the groove.