Leeds Study Finds 82% of Women 40-65 Gain Mental Health Benefits at Raves
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 20
Leeds Study Finds 82% of Women 40-65 Gain Mental Health Benefits at Raves
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 20
Summary
A 2025 University of Leeds study of 136 women aged 40-65 found rave-going was linked to lower anxiety, depression and low mood, with many describing it as a release from work and caring pressures.
Eighty-two percent had been attending for more than 20 years, while others returned after lapsing, often after family responsibilities or internalised ageism had pushed them out of club spaces.
Music and dancing were the strongest draws, followed by socialising, and participants overwhelmingly reported belonging across generations despite occasional comments such as "Whose mum are you?"
Psychologists interviewed in the report said synchronized movement and beat-driven buildups can create pleasure, social bonding and stress release even without drugs, reframing clubbing as collective self-regulation.
The trend is also being supported by earlier-starting events for older crowds, reflecting how electronic dance culture, which began in the 1980s, has aged with its original audience.