The TikTok Trend That’s Scientifically Proven to Boost Energy and Positivity

A fun and playful TikTok trend, ‘a shimmy a day keeps the sad away,’ started by this creator has been circulating the popular social media platform over the past few months, amassing over 2 million posts. The trend showcases people of all ages dancing in and around their kitchen to help boost their mood, give them energy and relieve the stress that everyday life can bring.

But underneath the lighthearted nature of the trend, is there actually some truth? 

The UK’s number 1 vitamin company, Vitabiotics, has spoken exclusively with qualified Integrative Psychotherapist, Holly Beedon, on the positive impacts dancing can have on our mental well-being. 

Speaking to Vitabiotics, she said, “From a psychological standpoint, dancing brings together several powerful mechanisms that support well-being. It activates the brain’s reward system, releasing endorphins and dopamine, neurochemicals linked with pleasure, motivation, and stress relief. This neurochemical response can lift mood and counteract the physiological effects of low mood.”

In addition to this, Holly also states that dancing can release emotions and strengthen the mind.

“Dancing can help you release emotions, as movement provides an outlet for expressing feelings that might otherwise remain suppressed. This kind of release can reduce tension stored in the body and mind, helping people process difficult emotions in a safe way.

Not only this, but learning choreography or synchronising to music stimulates working memory, attention, and executive functioning.” 

Even dancing alone in your kitchen every day can have positive effects.

“Dancing alone has psychological benefits. Dancing has similar qualities to mindfulness, drawing attention away from rumination and letting you lean into the present moment. That shift quiets worry loops in the brain and creates space for joy, spontaneity, and self-expression, things that are often missing when someone is struggling with their mental well-being.”

How to complement your shimmy a day with the right nutrition. 

Alongside your daily shimmy, your body needs a variety of nutrients which support different functions, such as energy release and reducing tiredness and fatigue. A balanced diet is the foundation, with whole grains like oats and quinoa providing lasting fuel, and fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens such as spinach, delivering important nutrients. Lean proteins, such as eggs and chicken, help make meals more satisfying, while nuts and seeds add fibre and a boost of micronutrients. Supplements are helpful to fill any nutritional gaps in the diet. Supplements such as iron can help contribute to normal immune system function, cognitive function and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, while magnesium helps support normal energy release. 

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