Pilates

Pilates was first created by someone who felt there was a strong link between mental and physical health.

Some people use it to support their recovery from certain medical conditions, because it is a gentle form of exercise. Practitioners have noticed that it helps posture and muscle tone, but also relieves stress and tension through the body. 

Pilates is different to Yoga because it focusses on a continuous flow of movement, rather than static moves, and some find this to be particularly calming. 

The NHS has a useful guide to pilates and a beginners video you can try.  You should also be able to find classes local to you by searching online.

There isn’t much academic research in the area of self-care for young people who are living with mental health issues. We are trying to find out more about what works for different people so we can better advise other young people what to try.

If you’ve tried this activity when you were struggling in relation to your mental health, please email us at comms.requests@annafreud.org and let us know if it helped you.