Pilates for Stress Relief: 10-Minute Workout

Pilates re-emerged as a popular workout trend in 2024 (interest in floor Pilates, for example, grew 37 percent in the past year, per consumer data firm Eyes)—and for good reason. Pilates is not only designed to improve your strength and flexibility, but it can promote a mind-body connection that can help reduce stress.

Here’s what you need to know about the connection between Pilates and feeling calmer, plus a 10-minute workout to try at home.

First things first: Why does Pilates relieve stress?

It’s not just anecdotal: Research actually shows that Pilates can help you feel calmer and better overall.

Pilates can help improve symptoms of anxiety through mechanisms such as increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain, relaxing muscles and enhancing sleep quality, according to a 2015 study in Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences.

In another 2019 study published in Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, 90 volunteers were randomly divided into three groups – a Pilates group, a yoga group and a control (no exercise) group. Participants in the Pilates and yoga groups did their respective exercises for one hour three times a week over the course of two months.

The researchers found that Pilates was significantly more effective in improving functional movement and individual health (which includes factors such as emotional and mental well-being) than yoga or no exercise.

Engaging in physical activity, such as Pilates, can help reduce levels of stress hormones like cortisol and increase the production of endorphins, which are natural mood lifters, she says. Elma Panagaki, RYT-500500 hour certified yoga and pilates instructor at Bay Club.

It also helps you control your breathing to reduce stress, raises your heart rate without the need for high-intensity exercise, and helps you better understand the signals your body is sending you through increased awareness, according to Cleveland Clinic.

“Pilates emphasizes the mind-body connection through focused movements and controlled breathing techniques,” says Panagaki. “By paying attention to proper form and alignment during exercises, you develop a heightened awareness of your body, which can help you better manage stress and anxiety by staying present in the moment.”

The flowing movements in Pilates sequences, combined with coordinated breathing, can also promote relaxation and a sense of calm.

“It incorporates stretching and lengthening exercises that help improve flexibility and release muscle tension,” says Panagaki. “Tight muscles are often associated with stress and anxiety, and by promoting flexibility and relaxation, Pilates can help relieve the physical symptoms of stress, such as muscle stiffness and tightness.”

Both Pilates and yoga offer numerous (and similar) benefits for stress relief. However, if you find it difficult to slow down, you may find Pilates to be a more active but equally effective toning down workout.

“Some people are afraid to try to relax, and since yoga is most often associated with stress relief, taking a yoga class can seem quite challenging,” says Panagaki. “In such cases, Pilates may be a better fit than yoga, since yoga usually involves static postures for longer periods.”

A 10-minute Pilates workout for stress relief

This short routine created by Panagaki is designed to help relieve stress by promoting relaxation, releasing tension from the body, and enhancing a sense of mindfulness and well-being.

“Incorporate it into your daily routine as needed to help manage stress and improve your overall health and vitality,” says Panagaki.

A few tips as you do so:

• Focus on quality of movement rather than speed and remember to engage your core in each exercise for stability and support.
• Listen to your body and modify exercises as needed to suit your flexibility and strength level.
• Pay attention to your breathing, inhaling deeply through your nose and exhaling fully through your mouth. Let your breath guide your movement and help you stay present in the moment.

If a movement doesn’t feel right or causes pain, talk to a trainer to help you with alignment and modifications.

1. Cat-cow stretch

1. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Inhale as you arch your back, lifting your chest and tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose).
3. Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin into your chest and pulling your belly button toward your spine (cat pose).
4. Flow smoothly between cat and cow poses, coordinating your movement with the breath.
5. Repeat for 1 minute.

2. Elbow to knee

1. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Find a long neutral spine and engage your core.
2. Raise your left arm and right leg parallel to the floor without relaxing your core. Inhale and lengthen as far as you can go.
3. Exhale and sink your stomach into your spine and bring your left elbow to your right knee.
4. Repeat 10 reps on each side.

3. Seated spinal twist

1. Sit tall on a mat with your legs straight and spread as wide as you can. Bend your legs.
2. Engage your core and open your arms out to the side, like a T, with your thumbs up.
3. Inhale and lengthen your spine.
4. Exhale and twist, aiming to reach your right hand to your left pinky toe without rounding your back.
5. Do 8 reps on each side, alternating sides.

4. Scissors

1. Lie on your back on a mat with your legs stretched straight up towards the ceiling.
2. Stretch your core muscles by pulling your belly button toward your spine and pressing your lower back into the mat.
3. Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the mat, keeping your neck long and relaxed.
4. Lower one leg toward the mat, keeping the other leg raised toward the ceiling, maintaining a straight position. Hold the raised leg with both hands behind the calf, ankle or thigh, depending on your flexibility.
5. Inhale as you switch legs, raising the lowered leg toward the ceiling while simultaneously lowering the other leg toward the mat.
6. Exhale as you switch legs again.
7. Continue alternating legs in a scissor-like motion. repeat for 10 reps.

5. Bridge

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat, hip-width apart. Keep your arms relaxed at your sides with your palms facing down.
2. Engage your core muscles by gently pulling your belly button toward your spine.
3. Press through your legs as you exhale and lift your hips off the mat, aiming to create a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
4. Roll your spine up off the mat one vertebra at a time, focusing on articulation in each section of your spine.
5. Inhale at the top of the bridge pose and exhale as you slowly lower your spine back to the mat, one vertebra at a time.
6. Repeat 10 repetitions.

6. The child’s pose

1. Start in a kneeling position with your toes together and knees apart.
2. Sit back on your heels and lower your chest toward the mat, reaching your arms forward.
3. Rest your forehead on the mat and relax your entire body, allowing your breath to deepen and your muscles to release tension.
4. Hold the pose for 1 minute, focusing on deep belly breathing and surrendering to any residual anxiety or tension.

7. Stretch image-4

1. Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet straight on the mat, hip-width apart.
2. Cross your left ankle over your right thigh, creating a “4” shape with your legs. Bend both legs.
3. Keep your head and shoulders relaxed on the mat and continue to breathe deeply and evenly throughout the stretch.
4. Hold the stretch for 40 seconds, then release and switch sides, crossing the right ankle over the left thigh.
5. Repeat the stretch on the opposite side, again holding for 40 seconds.

8. Spinal flexion

1. Lie on your back on a mat with your legs outstretched.
2. Bend your knees and bring them towards your chest.
3. Open your arms out to the side, like a T.
4. Send your knees to the left side of your body. Turn your head to look over your right shoulder, feeling a stretch in the spine and outer hip. Keep both shoulders on the floor.
5. Hold the stretch for 1 minute, allowing your body to relax into the bend.
6. Inhale as you bring your knee back to center and exhale to switch sides.