Stress Melt: How Pilates Can Help Manage, Cope, and Recover

With the onslaught of information, fast-paced workplaces, busy lives, and many hats most individuals must wear on a daily basis, it’s hard to go through a single day without feeling stress. Some of us manage stress on a daily basis, and others feel overtaken by stress. Stress has three phases: Management, Coping, and Recovery. Pilates can help with each of these, as well as living an overall healthy lifestyle.

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Management

Stress management is a proactive phase. Individuals who manage their stress are typically at peace with the fact that many stresses will be part of life, and they’ve integrated pieces of their daily routine to help manage stress and keep it at a healthy level. Stress can be a good thing if it’s managed well – without stress, muscles will never grow and students may never learn. Managed stress can be embraced. Individuals who manage their stress typically have built healthy boundaries. They know what their limits are and how to graciously say no. They make Pilates a priority, not only focusing on the physical aspects of exercise, but also their breathing techniques, mindfulness, balance, and harmony. They get enough sleep. They eat well without sweating the occasional splurge. Management is the best place to be when it comes to stress.

Coping

Individuals who are coping have typically gone through an experience that has caused some deep stress and are trying to maintain their healthy management in spite of the stress. Seasons of coping will come from time to time in anyone’s life and may be triggered by a multitude of things: illness, death of a loved one, divorce, a lost job, or a traumatic experience. It may be easy to stop exercising and maintaining healthy balance in these situations. Some days it can seem difficult to keep going. In these seasons, it’s even more important to nurture your body and stay healthy. Surround yourself with loving people who encourage good habits.

Recovery

Individuals in recovery have just gone through the coping phase with a stressful experience. They’ve come to peace with the situation and may have even been able to move on, if only slightly. Recovery can be a long journey, but it’s important to let your mind and body experience it to bring closure and restore health. Pilates can help speed up recovery and bring peace along with it.