How Pilates Can Help To Reduce Stress Relief & Anxiety!
- Pilates With Natalia
- Apr 27
- 4 min read
Updated: May 6
Feeling stressed can drain your energy, affect your sleep, tighten your muscles, and cloud your mind. You’re not alone; stress affects millions of people every single day, and can you blame yourself? Life can be very difficult at times. Stress and anxiety is literally everywhere! The good news: Pilates can 100% help you feel better!
Through mindful movement and focused breathing, Pilates offers a natural way to ease tension and rebuild your calm, plus Pilates requires focus, allowing you to forget the noise from the outside world! I have really found that a combination of long walks and Pilates has really helped to calm me during moments of stress and anxiety in the past, and it still does to this day.
If you've never done Pilates, it has never been easier to start! You can literally do free Pilates workouts from home. I have many classes available, plus I have also created a free eBook and class to get you started. But more on that later!
How Stress Affects Your Body:
Stress doesn't just affect you mentally; it also shows up physically. Aside from feeling down, tired and drained, chronic stress can also lead to:
Tight shoulders and a stiff neck.
More illness, such as colds and flus.
Low energy and constant fatigue leading to less movement.
Poor posture from sitting tensely.
Stress can lead to weight gain due to stress eating and eating more calories due to tiredness.
Ignoring stress or not solving the issue just gets worse over time. Sadly, there are many external factors due to work and life that you may not be able to control to reduce your stress levels, so what can you do instead?
Try Pilates! It Can Really Help You!
Pilates is AMAZING for both your body and your mind. Here’s how it helps:
Pilates is really focused on breathing through your diaphragm, which is your breathing muscle. Taking slow, controlled breaths to assist with the exercise you are doing is a huge part and one of the 8 principles of Pilates. This helps to calm your nervous system.
Focused movements distract you from negative thinking. When you are doing Pilates, you don't have time to think of the outside world, especially if the exercise is challenging; trust me!
Strengthening your core improves your posture and reduces back pain/tension. Believe me, you feel incredible after a Pilates class! You just feel taller, stronger and motivated to stay healthy!
Gentle stretching releases tight muscles. Each session gives you space to reset, recharge, and reconnect with yourself.
Exercises You Can Try When Feeling Anxious:
When I find myself suddenly feeling anxious, I take a moment to stop what I am doing if I can, and I head over to my mat! I completely understand that this isn't always possible to do in the moment. However, I try to do some form of movement as soon as I am able to, even if it's a few hours later!
I do exercises such as the Cat/Cow, Threading the Needle, Roll Downs, Hip Hinges and Cobras. They really help in these moments; I take the time to focus on myself and my body. I find that through the breathwork I concentrate and therefore forget about my anxious thoughts! I truly believe this can help you too!
Today, more people are turning to online Pilates classes and videos to fit movement into their daily routine without having to commute or commit to a studio schedule. It really has never been easier to start.
Where to Start Doing Online Pilates:
There are so many places to explore free Pilates online! You can start with me right here on this page; I also include a free ebook and a free tracker to keep you motivated and on track:
I also have plenty of workouts available to you on YouTube, which I will link below. If you would like to try a class and try some of the exercises I listed above, head here:
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NataliaPilatesUK – free workouts for all levels, including core, posture, and stress relief
You can, of course, try other workout styles such as yoga, which is fantastic for calming your mind and can truly help you to focus! I also recommend outdoor walks in nature. I love going for a long walk during the spring and summer months, and I also love sitting in the sun. Just being outdoors and feeling the fresh air really helps me personally!
Final Thoughts!
Stress and anxiety is everywhere, and it is also okay to have these thoughts and to accept them. I do believe this affects millions of us around the world, so nobody should ever feel like they are alone in these thoughts.
But it is important to try and find ways to manage and improve this where possible. I am positive that Pilates can really help everyone who feels this way, so why not give it a try and see if it can work for you too? I hope this article has motivated you to try a free Pilates class and then hopefully continue practising with me! If you ever have any questions, please do reach out. I am always here to answer any questions you may have, and I would love to help you if I can!
Have an amazing week, and remember that just starting is key to feeling amazing both inside & out! 🤍✨
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