How Pilates can make you sleep better

When you are relaxed, full of endorphins, happy and physically tired you have a better chance of having a good nights sleep. So how do you do that … Pilates of course!

In this day and age people never switch off, they are constantly checking emails and social media and the classic 9am-5pm job hardly exists. A busy stressed out brain makes for restless sleep. Healthy living is not just about a good diet, it also includes exercise and decent amounts of quality sleep.

The best way to take your mind off the daily stresses and strains that life throws at you is to do something fun. An hour of Pilates will help you to unwind, relax and focus on yourself, for a change! The added bonus is that it also improves strength, flexibility, core control and realign your body after sitting at a desk all day! A combination of focusing on breathing correctly and exercise will naturally put you at ease and hopefully clear your mind enough to enable a more sound nights sleep.

A couple of simple Pilates exercise that can be conducted prior to getting into bed at night which will hopefully help you relax:

Roll down:

• Stand with feet hip distance apart, drop chin onto chest and roll spine down one vertebrae at a time until hands are touching the floor.
• Take a couple of deep breaths in and out then on an exhale slightly bend at the knees and re-stack the spine one vertebrae at a time until standing up tall.
• Repeat 3 times.

Roll up:

• Lie on the floor with arms over head, breath in and out sinking into the floor letting everything relax with each exhale.
• Inhale and raise hands up to the ceiling, exhale and start peeling the spine off the floor one vertebrae at a time until in a seated position.

It’s then time for bed!