Did you know that Pilates can be an effective stress reliever? Stress seems to be a more relevant problem by the day. There are so many things happening in the world right now that can be hard to process. Stress makes us anxious, irritable and affects sleep. Too much stress over time can cause illness. But doing Pilates can help you manage your stress by giving yourself time, helping you physically move through frustration and help you sleep better. 

One way Pilates helps you deal with stress is through breathing. Depending on the style of Pilates you take, there will be either specific breathing throughout or exercises with specific breathing instruction. No matter what style of Pilates you take, breathing is important to this form of exercise. The Hundred exercise is rhythmic breathing and pumping of the arms. This helps you to find your breath and coordinate it with your movement. You are encouraged to breathe deeply and pump your arms vigorously to get your blood moving through your body. Deep breathing helps you let go of stress. This exercise also asks you to count your breath. If you have ever tried the Hundred you know this task is more challenging than it sounds. No matter if you lose count or you just breathe without pumping your arms, this exercise helps you to let go of the outside world and focus on yourself. 

Pilates can be a slow meditative practice. You might be tempted in a Pilates class to rush through an exercise. This is often because of the challenge of Pilates gives you. There is a lot of value in moving slowly through the exercises and moving mindfully. When you move slowly, but keep the flow going, you have time to listen to your body and how it responds to the movement. You might notice that your hamstrings are tight or maybe you have more stretch in your legs than normal. When you move slowly, you take the time to be aware of what is happening in your body. More body awareness helps you to move through your day with more intention. 

Whether you choose to take private Pilates, a group class or practice on your own, you are making time for yourself to care for yourself. Setting aside time for your own health daily can help relieve stress because you are making sure your needs are met. Many times stress can creep up when your body needs you to stop and pay it some attention. When you set aside that time on a regular basis you look forward to that time. 

Pilates requires a lot of concentration and coordination of the mind and body. You don’t have to be coordinated to take Pilates! But taking Pilates does help improve your coordination. Pilates challenges you to think about what you are doing rather than just go through the motions. Spacing out and thinking about what you are having for lunch is a lot harder to do when you have to coordinate your arms, legs and your breath within an exercise. The time you take for Pilates, is time for you to completely let go of the stresses of the day, to focus on the present moment and how your body moves.

Pilates can be a lot of things but you get out of it what you put in. If you decide to focus and let go of the outside world you get a lot more out of it. Making Pilates a regular habit gives you time to let Pilates be what it needs to be each day. Some days I have clients come in that are just happy for the mental work of this exercise method. Some are happy to just lay on the mat and move. Others want to sweat it all out. Some take Pilates because it helps them sleep better at night. Pilates can be all these things and more. Pilates is a great way to give back to yourself and in that way let go of stress. 

If you are looking to add Pilates for stress relief I have a great class Tuesday and Thursday at Align Wellness Studio in Nashville, TN. This class focuses on balance and strength. We have fun working on our balance and focusing on the movement. Participants walk out of class standing tall and confident, ready to take on their day from a more balanced place. Want to join us? Sign for class here. Can’t make class? I also teach virtual privates with no equipment required. Sign up for that, here. Whatever you do, make time for yourself each day to process and deal with stress. Here is a great article with more info across other disciplines of fitness and reducing stress. How do you deal with stress?