Did you know that Pilates can help you sleep better? That’s right! In addition to providing several other benefits, such as muscle strengthening, improved disposition, and body awareness, the Method also greatly improves your night’s sleep.
How many times have you felt out of a mood, in a bad mood, and lack of concentration after a bad night?
Well, a bad night’s sleep can lead to many health problems, lack of motivation and motivation in tasks, impaired motor coordination, decreased concentration and mood changes, compromising the quality of life, and decreasing productivity at work.
So, in today’s article, we’ll understand the relationship between Pilates and Insomnia and see how the Method can be a great solution for providing longer, more restful nights of sleep. Come on?
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is a persistent disorder that impairs the ability to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sleep is one of the pillars of quality of life and is therefore essential for people’s well-being. The agency also estimates that about 40% of the population suffers from insomnia or some type of sleep disorder.
The main causes of insomnia
Usually, insomnia is caused by secondary disorders (other reasons), namely:
- Illnesses or medication misuse;
- Stress;
- Anxiety;
- Bad diet, drinking, and use of specific substances;
- Psychiatric disorders;
- Pregnancy;
- Menopause and old age.
That is, the main causes are related to bad habits, biological factors, or physiological changes in the body.
However, insomnia can also be a problem with the brain being unable to not stay awake, that is, having a sleep cycle. Generally, in normal cycles, wake up is when one is on and the other is off; however, in cases of insomnia, there is a failure at some point in this cycle.
There are still some very common illnesses that can cause insomnia:
- Chronic and neurological pathologies.
- Nasal allergies (sinusitis or rhinitis);
- Gastrointestinal problems;
- Endocrine problems;
- Arthritis;
- Asthma;
What is the relationship between Pilates and Insomnia?
The relationship between Pilates and Insomnia is quite clear: a Method is an effective tool for sleep disorders as it is considered a physical and mental treatment that, through its principles, provides a feeling of tranquility, well-being, and body awareness.
In addition, the modality works with exercises in which the overload is gradually increased to an ideal level, providing better relaxation and also reducing anxiety due to respiratory capacity.
The breathing technique performed during the exercises makes the student consciously mobilize the diaphragm region, improving his energy condition, deep breathing, and reducing muscle tension.
Thus, with practice, the body becomes stronger and the feeling of tiredness caused by the sleepless nights will diminish. And as the activity is fully connected to the mind, it is able to relax and induce the release of neurotransmitters related to relaxation as well as sleep.
Conclusion
So, did you manage to understand the connection between Pilates and Insomnia?
As we already know, the Pilates Method has numerous benefits for the whole body, however, it is important that the student is always aware of the problems caused by the lack of quality sleep.
If you know someone who suffers from the dreaded insomnia, don’t hesitate to recommend the practice of the Method, because without a doubt, it will improve all the symptoms and gradually guarantee the quality of life.