NEW YORK, March 22 -- What if, to relieve stress, you swapped the treadmill for the dance floor?

Science has long been demonstrating the benefits of physical activity for stress management. But an international study, published in the journal Psychology of Sport & Exercise, points to an unsuspected ally: dance.

More than just exercise, this activity can play a key role in regulating stress and improving general well-being.

For decades, sports psychologists have been studying the impact of physical activity on stress management.

Yet dance has rarely been their focus.

This new study remedies this by exploring the mechanisms that make dance a powerful stress buster.

Researchers from several European universities combined approaches spa...