Jump-up For Carnival And Boost Your Mental Health

By Dr. Peter Sealy
Pride Columnist

When was the last time that you jump-up? It’s carnival time and you can do it on the street or on the dance floor. While you are jumping up, remember that you are not only doing something good for your cardiovascular system, but also for your mental health.

Jumping up or dancing improves brain functioning due to the exercise aspect. When you jump-up, it is a form of exercise that releases endorphins, a natural chemical that improves mood and decreases stress. This is important because overpowering stress is a factor in issues of anxiety, depression and other mental health woes. Endorphins are also likened to natural opiates which are chemically similar to morphine.

There are many of us who are isolated in our homes throughout the winter and sadly for some even in the summer. Well, “jumping up” at carnival is the isolation buster that can boost mental health. Carnival is a time for us to be merry and enjoy ourselves responsibly.

Now when you jump-up, many of you have a patterned movement with the steps involving a specific order, timing and moving to the beat. For example, you have to remember the pattern for the dollar wine, butterfly and other forms of dance. Whether it is an old or new dance form, you have to follow a particular order of steps. During this time, recollection and brain activity is called into play. Now all of this brain activity occurring is increasing circulation to the brain. The result is increased brain fitness that brings about improved mental health.

Carnival is one big social explosion of dance, music, design, costume, colour, good food and people. This type of social atmosphere is mentally uplifting and decreases feelings of stress, isolation, anxiety and depression. Just think: Who is really worrying about their problems and jumping up at the same time? Here jumping up and otherwise dancing, keeps your mind off your worries giving you a feeling of control. Typically, people who get the benefit of exercise from jumping up normally have less anxiety and depression than others who remain out of motion.

Aerobic dance exercise movement, that included music from the Caribbean, was a method that I assigned many years ago to people living with a mental illness.  Aerobic dance exercise movement was introduced, to help individuals dealing with the “drugged up” feeling from some antipsychotic medications. They were very lethargic having little energy and motivation to take part in daily life activities. Participants on their own accord expressed themselves emotionally doing their own “groove style” to their favourite songs.

The participants for the study experiencing the “drugged up” and lethargic feeling were split into two groups. One group took part in the aerobic dance exercise movement while the other group did not. The participants who took part in the aerobic dance exercise movement showed a significant decrease in the “drugged up” and lethargic symptoms. On the other hand, the group of participants who did not take part in the aerobic dance exercise movement, showed no difference or decrease in their symptoms of feeling “drugged up” and lethargic. Participants in the aerobic dance exercise movement group also noted that their anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased. So keep on moving and don’t stop grooving.

Perhaps you think that you cannot “jump-up” or follow a regular pattern of beats. But “jumping up” is an expression that is not difficult to do. So why not express yourself at carnival. In fact, whether you are dancing behind the big trucks on Lakeshore at carnival or dancing on the sidelines, you can also improve your right brain. One of the right brain functions is to perceive colour so you would need good functioning to truly experience the spectacular colours of carnival.

While enjoying the carnival, take a few minutes to improve your imagination through concepts like simile (jumping up picks me up like the wings of a sandpiper) and metaphor (when I jump up, I am a sandpiper). Don’t impose unnecessary restrictions during carnival time on yourself and just try to “jump-up” and have a great time. Remember that fun and happiness through imaginative thinking is never a bad thing. Bear in mind that healthy and imaginative thinking, whether at carnival or elsewhere, lends to a healthy brain which equals decreased stress.

You can take your imagination even further to improve your brain functioning. If you are an onlooker at carnival, just imagine the different stories that are being told to you by the dancers. In the same vein, if you are a dancer think about the stories that you are telling. Remember that enslaved Africans were not allowed to talk so they told stories to each other through song and dance. Caribbean dance movements, and even attire, always tend to tell a story. Imagine the story that the dancers are telling you and each other.  Ask yourself if the story being told by the dancers or a particular dancer is happy or painful.  Is there a social message being told? Look at the costumes and the different rhythmic moves to the different musical beats. What does it tell you? Don’t forget to dance even if you are an onlooker on the sidelines.

Jumping up for Carnival can boost your mental health in still another way. Take for example when you play mas’, you are losing yourself in the character as a masquerader in that big theatre on the street we call carnival. This allows you to escape from your worries and boost your mood. Hence also improving your mental health and giving the brain a break from the past winter blues.

Look at how people are dressed at carnival time. Everyone is “freeing up” themselves. This is a day that people are wearing special clothing or lack thereof. There is a good feeling in the air and people’s moods are lifted. For carnival, dance, prance and express yourself socially and artistically as you share your culture with people from around the world and the diverse cultures that make up Canada. Carnival is a great way for us to celebrate our rich Caribbean cultural traditions. It also allows us to celebrate what makes us different.

Special recognition must go to all those who help to keep our culture alive. This would include the dedicated individuals who in their creativity and hard work come up with great themes and beautiful costumes for their dance participants. We don’t often see the time and hard work that it takes to sew, glue, weld and add glitter to complete those elaborate and artistic works. But the end product is so magnificent that it can chase away all that ails the mind. We should also not forget the people volunteering their time and effort to make carnival happen every year.

Three years ago, I was sprinkled with baby powder at the carnival. I didn’t mind so much the cultural practice but the problem was that it went into my eyes and I couldn’t see. A quick thinking person poured warm water into my eyes. I know there is a saying in Trinidad that states, “you can’t play mas’ and ‘fraid powder!”. But “gud laud not in me eye”.  When my eyesight returned, the “good Samaritan” (you be the judge) in a loud voice demanded that I give him five dollars.   He said that he had used one previously unopened bottle of water, which cost him five dollars. My friend agreed that the man used one previously unopened bottle of water.  I didn’t have any “small change,” so I gave him twenty dollars and told him to keep the change after thanking him. Funny thing though, I wasn’t even on the parade route.  Still, it would take more than baby powder in my eyes to prevent me from enjoying the spectacular sights and sounds of carnival.  Neither should you let anyone spoil your fun in life or prevent you from enjoying carnival. Like the saying goes in patois, “it is we ting”.

So if yuh planning to attend “de carnival” have fun. You can jump up with a group of friends, a special someone, as a formal participant in the parade or simply by yourself. Dancing is a fun and pleasurable way to keep the mental health fit. So what are you waiting for? Jump up and dance your worries away at carnival time. Remember to smile, be happy and keep “jumping up” even after carnival.

Photo by Anthony Sladden.