For those who live under a rock and are not yet familiar with Pilates, Pilates is essentially an exercise technique developed by Joseph Pilates that combines a series of activities which include stretching and strengthening amongst breathing exercises. It is essentially a low-impact exercise that makes the individual perform smaller movements that use their back and core muscles for stability. Hence, the main results of Pilates are improved core strength and great posture. There are a number of health and wellness benefits associated with incorporating Pilates in your daily life and routine which include the following:

1. Pilates helps you develop body awareness

Body awareness and control is something that takes a lot of hard work to achieve, and since Pilates focuses on controlled movements, it makes individuals much more aware of their bodies. Individuals have to constantly be aware of their posture, breathing, and actions. While this may initially be very overwhelming, over time individuals get used to it and establish a fine-tuned understanding with their body.

2. Pilates helps reduce back pain

With a little help from the right instructor, Pilates can help relieve individuals of chronic back pain. While pilates doesn’t prove helpful in situations such as a back fracture, it can greatly help people who constantly experience throbbing pain in their back. However, be careful to consult a professional Pilates instructor because you could hurt your back even more if you practice pilates incorrectly. Once you get the hang of it, you can practice Pilates at home with Pilates equipment. You can opt for pilates reformer machines at Pilates Health Equipment for home use as a starter.

3. Pilates helps you maintain your weight

Pilates is a great option for individuals who are looking to shed off a few pounds for health reasons. Due to its focus on core tightening and muscle strengthening, individuals who practice Pilates tend to lose weight gradually and arrive at a healthy BMI. However, one should remember to combine Pilates with a healthy diet and lifestyle in order to achieve results.

4. Pilates helps you relieve stress

Since exercise helps produce endorphins in your body, Pilates ultimately makes you happier and helps in relieving stress. It is a great restorative workout that helps you relax, relieve yourself of muscle tension, and elevate your mood at the same time. Hence, if you are ever feeling down or low, know you can always pull out your mat and practice Pilates to get an instant mood booster.

5. Pilates helps you sleep better

While working out and maintaining a healthy lifestyle generally affects your sleeping patterns in a positive manner, Pilates helps you sleep better even more so as it is proven to improve your quality of sleep. All that stretching and bending in the daytime on your exercise mat help stretch and tone your muscles while strengthening your core and burning calories alongside. All of this helps in the promotion of peaceful sleep at night. The more healthy and active your lifestyle is, the better is your sleep pattern likely to be.