This blog series will be where I discuss sections from my book ‘My Eclectic Human Body’ to demonstrate how mental health is more than just the mind.
Many people know that Yoga and Mental Health work well together, but any exercise, if appropriate can be used to improve mental health. Previously I ran a Mindfulness Pilates group when I worked in the NGO (Non-Government Organisation) sector.
What is Pilates
Joseph Pilates introduced the world to his method of training (in the 1930’s) that originally combined elements of yoga with difficult physical movements to improve an individual’s health and wellbeing. His wife adapted the program to be used for beginners in hospital rehabilitation. More recently Pilates has been used to improve the physical health of individuals from professional athletes to the rich and famous. In the last 10 years, Pilates has gone from the exclusive club of athletes and celebrities to homes and gymnasiums worldwide. However; with this movement, the mindfulness side of Pilates has been diluted and some contribute Pilates to only physical benefits. Pilates can be used in a similar manner as yoga, to enable the individual to not only improve their physical health, but improve their emotional and psychological health and wellbeing. Using principles of Pilates such as breathing and control of oneself, and combining this with the principles behind sensory use in psychological therapy, and mindfulness; the individual can work to become the best version of themselves.
Utilising level 1 Matwork Pilates with a strong focus of sensory awareness throughout – verbal cues (draw shoulder to opposite hip pocket), tactile (place fingertips on the bony part of your hip either side, now cough, the area that moved or contracted is known as your T.A., this contraction should be maintained as long as you can, while you breathe slow relaxed breaths in and out), and visual (with fingers on hip bone, imagine you need to pee but cannot, that contraction “holding on” is activating your T.A., this is helpful in Pilates while you are performing an exercise). Once these basic levels of sensory awareness are established individuals can then move to thinking about the stressed area being worked and try relax this area through breathing and “letting go” of negative thoughts or feelings about a particular person or situation.
Benefits
1. Pilates can improve your psychological/mental well-being: Pilates involves concentration on the breath and body, which makes it a great way to soothe a person’s mind and relieve worries, by helping discharge tension and stress, Pilates’ poses and breathing exercises keep a person free from such negative elements. As a result, a person who does Pilates is better able to achieve an improved level of psychological health.
2. Pilates helps with anxiety and depression: Consisting of activities such as relaxation, body awareness, socialization, and exercise, Pilates has been proven helpful in reducing anxiety and depression. Pilates helps to regulate a person’s stress response system, lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as improve respiration; Pilates provides you with the means to manage anxiety and depression
3. Pilates boosts memory and improves concentration: practice of concentration, is the perfect way to clear your mind and calm your senses. You remove the static noise in your head and focus your mind, your breathing and even the music.
4. Pilates reduces the onset of mental health conditions, which are prevalent during adolescence: Pilates and yoga has been seen as a helpful method that can be used to protect adolescents from mental illnesses. Those who participated in yoga or Pilates displayed better moods, lower levels of anxiety and tension, better anger control, improved resilience, and enhanced mindfulness.
5. Pilates reduces the effects of traumatic experiences: some patients do not respond well to traditional psychotherapies. Particularly in cases where contemporary mental and pharmacological treatments have failed, Pilates may be effective in reducing PTSD symptoms. The combination of somatic sensory awareness and self-awareness may improve the outcomes for individuals with PTSD related symptoms.
6. Pilates can be performed in a group or individual setting. When performed in a group setting, the individual can improve their social networks and communication skills.
7. Suitable for all ages.
8. By consciously deciding to resume normal levels of activity: from completion of daily tasks to exercising: regardless of how we feel, our behaviours provide powerful feedback to the brain that we are not prisoners to our thoughts and emotions; positive emotions can be produced by our actions.
Stay tuned for my next blog.
To work on your own mental health with us please contact 0479 149 277.