Pilates for Mental Health Benefits
Pilates that are mostly been popularized by celebrities in the last few years for building a lean body and is mainly associated with strengthening and toning muscles, improving flexibility & losing weight. These are the most common reasons behind the practice of Pilates, but did you know Pilates is also associated with mental health? Yes, you heard it right! It does offer a wide range of mental health benefits as well.
We all know that apart from strengthening and making your body flexible, Yoga has a direct connection with mental health as well. So do Pilates. Recent studies have shown the different aspects of Pilates and how it can help your mental health.
Following is the list of mental health benefits one can achieve by doing Pilates regularly:
Better Emotional Control
Any type of exercise acts as instant mood enhancers so are Pilates. Pilates helps you to have better control over your emotions. It may assist to deal with depression and anxiety by boosting the production of neurotransmitters that can fight depression. People who are emotionally vulnerable, that is who cannot control their emotions in crisis situations should practice Pilates daily. The focus on breathing and connection to your body while doing Pilates is the main reason behind aiding better emotional control.
Releases Tension and Reduces Stress Level
Practicing Pilates regularly will help you to stay away from negative thoughts, enhance mindfulness, decrease stress levels, improve sex life and help you to remain peaceful from within. Pilates can decrease the stress hormones like cortisol & increase endorphins chemical production that helps you to feel good. It improves one’s ability to respond and remain stress-free even after a hectic day. Just like ”an apple a day keeps a doctor away”, ”15 minutes of Pilates a day will keep stress away”.
Improves Memory & Brain Training
While doing common exercises the body is working out but the mind is not actively engaged. This might result in injury. But while performing Pilates & the mind needs to be in the same alignment. As a result of this exercise, blood gets pumped to the brain which enhances your thinking capabilities. Pilates also helps to improve the connections between nerve cells in your brain.
Improves Nervous Systems
Since this particular exercise is associated with activating deeper muscles, it improves the function of the nervous system. As a result, it will help you to treat Insomnia, boost creativity, sharpens the mind, fight addictions & fill your brain with all sorts of positive thoughts. If you love science, read this article about research done on exercise and stretching and how doing it on one side of our body affects the other side through the nervous system.
Builds Self-confidence
Just like any other exercise, if you practice Pilates daily it will help you to boost your self-confidence. As you achieve your daily exercise goals, you will automatically gain more self-confidence. Also being physically active regularly is not quite easy, it requires a lot of dedication and perseverance. So in that way also it will build your self-confidence.
Conclusion
Pilates is not just about physical health but also mental well-being! Now that you know the mental health benefits of Pilates, plan out your daily Pilates workout routine and bring a lot of positivity within you. Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn about pilates training programs we offer in Milton, Georgetown, Halton Hills, and Campbellville.