Pilates for Brain Health
We know that Pilates is fab for our bodies but it is also good for our minds. This term, we will be thinking about how Pilates can help us improve our brain health. Brain health refers to how well our brain functions. It includes:
- Cognitive health: how well we think, how well we learn, and our memory
- Motor function: how we can control our muscles and movements
- Emotional wellbeing
As we age our brain changes too, did you know our brains start to shrink from our mid 30s? As well as aging, stress, poor diet and inactivity all have proven links to reduced brain health and a decline in cognitive function. Whilst some aspects of our health cannot be changed, there are lots of other factors we can control.
Can Pilates help me improve my brain health?
Yes! Pilates practice can help improve your mood, invigorate you and improve your cognitive function!
Research shows us that looking after our physical health, managing long term conditions such as high blood pressure, our diet, activity, mood and social health are key to healthy brains. Pilates can be an excellent part of this programme, working on more than one front! We will explore some of the evidence together in class and you can read more on the links below.
Pilates can help our cardiovascular fitness:
Cardiovascular health and brain health are linked. Our brain contains hundreds of blood vessels. Keeping our blood vessels and our heart healthy also helps to keep our brain tissues healthy. This means our brains can function at their best. It is recommended that adults do 150 minutes of moderate intensity activities (such as Pilates, walking, cycling) each week. This helps us to keep our heart strong, keep a healthy weight and normalise blood pressure. All of these things are linked to better brain health too!
Pilates can help us to manage stress:
It’s not uncommon to feel disorganized and forgetful when you’re under a lot of stress, even just in the short term . In the long term, stress is linked to inflammation and changes to your brain that can affect your memory. Pilates promotes mindfulness, a practice of being in the here and now that can help you to manage stress and anxiety. You can find out more about this in our other blogs. The NHS website has some other fantastic tips for managing stress, see below for more info.
Pilates involves learning a new skill:
Our brains learn and grow when we challenge them. Research shows that learning new skills helps improve your memory and cognitive function through this neuroplasticity.
Anyone who has attending Pilates will know that it is quite a brain work out too! It involves constant thinking, processing, and learning. You have to be mindful of your breathing rhythm, your body sensations and focus on how to properly move throughout the exercises. Each week in Pilates we want you to learn something new, our courses are gently progressive and our physiotherapist instructors are passionate about helping you to become an expert in your own body.
Pilates is fun
We think so anyway! Our Pilates classes are designed to be a personalised, affective, and enjoyable. A calm, happy little bubble in your week. Exercises release our happy hormones which have direct affects on our physical and mental health. Each week in Pilates, you and your physio will be able to track changes in your expertise, endurance, flexibility and strength, getting better at something is fun too!
Pilates helps improve our co-ordination
The cerebellum is the areas of our brain associated with movement co-ordination. The fluidity, speedy and accuracy of our movements are all controlled here. Pilates helps our brains (and bodies) hone these skills. Neuroplasticity means the more we practice a skill, the better our neural system gets at performing it.
Pilates can help you sleep better
Adults need 7-8hrs of good quality sleep a day. Poor sleep is link to a host of physical and mental health problems. Our memory, emotional function and motor control are all influenced by the amount of sleep we get. Having a regular routine, a relaxing sleeping environment, reducing caffeine and getting more exercise are all shown to help us get the sleep we need. I know that I always sleep better after a good work out!
Pilates tuition is social
Social wellbeing and communication with others is important to our brain health. Especially as we get older. Social interactions are thought to help us to develop a reserve of thinking abilities during our lives, our cognitive reserves. These are thought to protect our brains as we age.
Whether you are working one on one with a physio or joining one of our friendly classes, Pilates is a non competitive social activity.
How will Pilates help my brain health?
Whether in 1:1 sessions or in our group classes our team will work with you on an individual basis to support you to help you maximise the physical and mental benefits from your Pilates practice.
Below is a template that your instructor might use to help us to think out brain health in our Pilates practice this term:
Week 1: Looking at skill acquisition. Understand and recap the key elements of Pilates, the foundations of the Pilates method.
Week 2: Learning about our bodies. Exercising to develop awareness of our bodies strengths and weaknesses.
Week 3: Exercise co-ordination.
Week 4: Breath focus and relaxation
Week 5: Movement flow
Week 6: Pilates as a cardiovascular exercise, looking at the pace of our practice to gently increase our heart rate
Week 7: Strengthening sequences.
Week 8: Recap of the term focussing on brain health as a whole
Find out more about Pilates for brain health
You can find more information on the benefits of exercise and Pilates for joint health here:
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/mind-body/staying-sharp/looking-after-your-thinking-skills/heart-health-and-brain-health/
https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/physical-activity-brain-health/index.html#:~:text=Did%20you%20know%20it’s%20good,of%20cognitive%20decline%2C%20including%20dementia.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7752270/
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/stress/
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/how-to-be-happier/
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Coordination_Exercises