Three Ways That Pilates Can Improve Your Health

Pilates has been practiced since its creation as Contrology in the early 1900s by Joseph Pilates, and since then has increased in popularity throughout the world. The core strengthening movements that form the majority of Pilates routines can seem very different from other popular forms of fitness exercises such as aerobics, yoga or weightlifting. Pilates has often proven successful in helping both men and women lose weight and remain fit.

Here are three ways in particular that taking a Pilates class can not only improve your health, but also improve your health and your well-being.

1. Improved sleep – Sleep better by reducing stress. Pilates practitioners have long regarded the core exercise routines as a way to combat stress. Through increased body awareness, you can more easily regulate the patterns of tension in their bodies. You can consciously release the muscle tightness that you feel. Since stress and tension are causes of insomnia, a regular Pilates exercise regime can help improve nightly sleep by reducing bodily stress from imbalanced muscular tension.

2. Less pain – Many people living in this world suffer from some type of chronic pain in their back or neck. This type of pain is often due to poor posture and the misalignment of the spine that it causes. Relaxation, painkillers and massage can relieve occasional back and neck pain, but Pilates exercises address the chronic problem by strengthening the core muscles of the body and making sure that the spine is carrying the body’s weight correctly. Once good posture becomes habitual, then the pain due to incorrect patterns of sitting, standing and walking will also begin to disappear.

3. More energy – When low energy occurs during the course of the day, reaching for stimulants like coffee, tea or energy drinks is habitual for many people. The caffeine helps to increase wakefulness for a while, but too much can increase jitters instead of increasing alertness, and eventually caffeine lose its effectiveness. Good exercise practices like Pilates, on the other hand, give you a natural lift by stimulating the spine and core muscles and increasing circulation. Using good posture lets you breathe more deeply bring more oxygen into your lungs. The increased flow of oxygen through the body will naturally boost your alertness. You’ll also find that making smooth, balanced body movements with good posture takes less energy so that you’ll have more energy for daily life.

As you can see, Pilates is recognized worldwide for its ability to improve the lives of its practitioners.

Pilates is easy to do on your own from books or videos, and you can take classes at a gym in the company of others. Since it involves body movement and flexibility, there’s no need for special clothing or equipment that might deter a beginner.

If you seek rehabilitation of posture, spinal alignment and stability following an injury, it’s wise to consult an expert in rehabilitation and core stability training among the many osteopaths in Melbourne. You will find Pilates offered as a part of rehabilitation and core stability training at centers such as City Osteopathy. Learn more about their services at cityosteopathy.com.au.