People are reducing stress, building healthy coping skills and having fun with Fred Astaire Dance Studios. Dancing lowers stress, so we’re recognizing Stress Awareness Month by offering people the chance to decrease anxiety by learning ballroom dancing.

April marks the start of Stress Awareness Month, which started in 1992 to increase public awareness about the causes and cures for stress. Stress is a normal reaction to change, according to Cleveland Clinic. The body reacts to stress with physical, mental and emotional responses. Stress helps keep people motivated and alert, but continuous stress can lead to negative physical symptoms, like headaches or elevated blood pressure. Stress can result in mental health issues as well as increase risk of disease, like heart disease and cancer, Cleveland Clinic reports.

As Americans are being called on to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of disease, controlling stress remains an essential component of health and happiness. Fred Astaire Dance Studios has suggestions on how to reduce stress and stay healthy during difficult times.

1. Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption. Caffeine is a stimulant and can increase stress levels. Alcohol alters mood and acts as a stimulant in small quantities.
2. Sleep. A lack of sleep increases stress. Experts advise heading to bed at the same time each night and starting a nighttime routine that includes reading and avoiding checking for updates on your cell phone to help make falling asleep easier.
3. Practice mindfulness. Taking stock of the present moment and circumstances is a calming way to decrease stress. Focusing on day-to-day concerns is an important tool to reduce worry. Experts advise trying meditation to increase mindfulness and de-stress.
4. Exercise. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control are inspiring Americans to take creative measures to stay in shape from the comfort of their homes. Fred Astaire Dance Studios encourages people to turn on the music and dance your worries away. Dancing reduces stress by relying on breathing and movement. Dancing can increase serotonin production, which improves mood and overall well-being.

Humor is a great stress reliever. Check out these hilarious dance scenes from some familiar movies.

Paul Rubenfeld uses humor to defuse a tense situation in this clip from “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.” The actor wows the tough crowd when he dances to “Tequila,” at a biker bar.

In “Guardians of the Galaxy,” one of the star characters relieves stress and bad memories by putting on headphones and dancing to “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone.

For slapstick comedy fans, Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan take over the dance floor with some unique moves in “A Night at the Roxbury.”

Fred Astaire Dance Studios is encouraging people to bolster your mood during Stress Awareness Month by learning some new dance moves. Contact your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios to schedule a future lesson.