'Dancing makes me feel free, uplifted, and my worries melt away' - these women returned to the dance floor in new ways after 40 for better mental health

You might think your clubbing days are behind you, but strip back the alcohol and the dingy venue, focus on the dancing, and you could be looking at one of the simplest ways to boost your mental wellbeing. This feel-good movement releases endorphins, dopamine and serotonin (our 'happy' hormones), and it's genuinely fun, doing wonders for the mind and body.

Scientists have also found that dancing can have a positive impact on brain health for those living with dementia, Parkinson's and memory loss. So why aren't more of us doing it in our 40s and beyond?

It turns out, some of us are. When a neighbourhood café in York started hosting early morning coffee raves – a 6:30 am walk followed by a DJ set and a dance – it might have seemed like a one-off quirky local story. But the women turning up every first Thursday of the month are onto something science is now backing up. A study published in the Psychology of Music found that women over 40 actively seek out dance music events for their mental benefits.

The research suggests that a deep connection to rhythm, atmosphere and collective joy keeps women coming back, but the benefits of dancing go far beyond a good night out. It's a chance for social connection, self-expression, and a release from the pressures of daily life.

Alex Razaj, founder of The Early Night Club in Cambridge, is famous in her family for being the child who was always dancing in shops. At 54, she says she still has a bop when the mood takes her. "I did tap, ballet and modern from the age of four, and I loved being in all the dance shows," she says.

By eighteen, dance school had given way to nightclubs – perm, shoulder pads and looking like an extra from Rivals. "I was always the first on the dance floor." But as Alex moved through her 30s, weddings and birthday parties became her only chance to dance with friends. When those dried up, she started to notice the gap they left.

That feeling is what brought The Early Night Club to life. "I had young children, and I was desperate to dance, so a friend and I went out to a club in Cambridge – the venue was still empty at 11 pm. We left and went home without dancing." The atmosphere wasn't there, and neither was the energy. "I realised there was a gap in the market for a club that started earlier."

The first Early Night Club launched in a local pub in February 2009. "There was a blizzard and three inches of snow, but 25 of my friends and neighbours came out for it," Alex says. From there, they moved to a basement nightclub that they could have exclusively on a Thursday night, and it took off. Now they sell out every couple of months, with 200-250 attendees. Most are women, ranging in age from 25 to 70. "It's a sight to behold when 200 women let loose on a Thursday night, dancing and singing to everything from Faithless to Abba."

Former Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, 47, launched Before Midnight - a series of house and disco music nights in London lasting from 7 pm until midnight - for similar reasons. She told Stylist: "When I announced [the event] on my Instagram, the response was overwhelming. Of course, day parties are not a new concept, but I think in retrospect, making a point of inviting those people who need sleep allowed a huge range of people to feel included and welcome."

For Charlotte Dormon, 46, founder of Good Health PR, dancing and clubbing gradually gave way to dinners and drinks as life got busier. But in midlife, she realised nothing else gave her the same endorphin hit. "Dancing makes me feel free, uplifted, and my worries melt away. I can be in flow and enjoy myself in the moment."

Charlotte now goes out dancing once or twice a month, and has the UK festival scene to look forward to as summer approaches.

So why is dance so powerful for women in midlife specifically? For Alex, it comes back to identity. However much life demands of you – parenting, caring for elderly parents, the relentless weight of daily responsibility – getting back to this part of yourself is a chance to feel lighter. "Women in midlife carry a lot," she says. "Dancing is a chance to set all that down."

She's also seen it work as a mood-shifter in real time. Women who've come in struggling with loss or illness, and then the right song comes on, and something visibly changes. "There is a special kind of alchemy that occurs – the combination of friends, music and the dance floor – that gives people an intense jolt of joy."

For those who don't enjoy running, going to the gym, or any other 'formal' exercise, it could be the route to better wellbeing. A 2024 meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine found that structured dance was at least as effective as, and in some cases better than, other forms of exercise for improving mood, motivation and emotional wellbeing. And a 2025 review in Healthcare, looking specifically at women going through perimenopause and menopause, found regular dance had a significant positive effect on depression, anxiety and vitality. Crucially, you don't need to go every night - even moderate frequency makes a meaningful difference.

Dancing and drinking often go hand-in-hand, but it doesn't have to. Charlotte goes out completely sober and wouldn't have it any other way. "It was the hangovers that stopped me going out – I really struggled for days after with anxiety and never slept well after alcohol," she explains. Now she focuses on the music, and has a slightly smug face when she's bouncing out of bed the next morning.

Her advice? Do the things you used to love, even if it means going alone. "I went to a club on my own to go dancing and ended up meeting the man who is now my husband," Charlotte says. "I always wanted a partner I could go out dancing with, and now I have that."

Alex is equally evangelical. Dance whenever you get the chance, she says, and she intends to lead by example. "I will hopefully be dancing into my eighties and beyond, although by then it might be a morning disco I'm running!"