Do you ever feel like your body is present, but your mind is trapped in an endless cycle of tension and worry?
You’re not alone—and you’re not overreacting either. In today’s world, anxiety has become more than just a fleeting emotion—it’s a daily struggle for millions.
According to the WHO, global anxiety disorders increased by over 25% in the first year of the pandemic alone. But even now, as the world opens back up, many of us are still holding stress in our bodies… and we often don’t know how to let it go.
Here’s where the best Pilates moves for anxiety relief come into play—not as a quick fix, but as a trusted mind-body practice that gently rewires your stress response.
As a registered nurse and wellness consultant, I’ve witnessed the power of simple, consistent movement in calming the mind and restoring the body.
Let’s explore why anxiety feels so heavy right now—and how the movement might just be your medicine.
Why Anxiety Hits Harder Now Than Ever
We live in a time where we’re always on—mentally plugged in, emotionally stretched thin, and physically disconnected from our bodies.
And while modern life brings convenience, it also buries many of us under the weight of persistent, unrelenting stress.
According to the American Psychological Association, nearly one-third of Americans report living with extreme stress, and almost half (48%) say their stress levels have increased over the last five years.
Stress isn’t just affecting moods—it’s impacting relationships, work productivity, and overall health.
Over 50% say they’ve argued with loved ones due to stress, and about a quarter have lost friendships or experienced separation because of it.
Let me ask you something—
Have you ever noticed your shoulders tense even when you’re sitting still?
That’s not just bad posture. It’s your nervous system staying on high alert, waiting for the next threat—even when there isn’t one.
The good news is that you don’t have to stay stuck in that cycle.
And you don’t need to overhaul your life. Sometimes, just learning how to move with intention and breathe with awareness can start to calm the chaos. That’s exactly what Pilates teaches you.
How Pilates Helps Your Nervous System Reset
We often think of exercise as something intense—sweaty cardio, high-impact workouts, pushing through pain. But when it comes to anxiety, less really can be more.
And Pilates is one of the most effective low-impact, mind-body approaches to calming an overstimulated nervous system.
Here’s how:
Pilates combines controlled breathing, focused movement, and deep core activation. This gentle trifecta helps shift your nervous system out of the sympathetic “fight or flight” mode and into the parasympathetic state—what we call “rest and digest.”
A 2022 study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies found that individuals who practised Pilates three times a week showed significant reductions in anxiety and cortisol levels compared to those who received no movement-based intervention.
Your breath becomes your anchor. Each inhale fuels your body with oxygen and clarity. Each exhale tells your brain: “You’re safe now.”
Is it really possible to reduce anxiety through movement alone?
Yes—and especially when that movement is mindful, slow, and connected to your breath.
The real power of Pilates isn’t in the poses—it’s in the awareness it cultivates. When you focus on one small, deliberate motion, your brain stops racing and begins to recenter. You begin to feel grounded again.
Let’s explore the deeper, long-lasting benefits next—and what really happens inside your body when you commit to this kind of movement.
Core Benefits of Pilates For Anxiety Relief
If anxiety is a storm, Pilates is the eye of it—a still, focused space that gives your body and mind a chance to reset.
Most people think of Pilates as a core workout, but it’s so much more than that. Pilates is a tool for recovery, a practice of mindful movement, breath regulation, and body awareness, all of which are deeply connected to how we experience and manage stress.
And it doesn’t require you to be flexible, fit, or even experienced—just present.
Studies have shown that regular Pilates practice reduces cortisol levels, the body’s main stress hormone, while also improving heart rate variability (HRV)—a key indicator of a more resilient nervous system.
Here’s what makes Pilates such a powerful anxiety-relieving tool:
- It forces you to slow down and breathe with intention.
- It helps release tension you didn’t even realize you were holding.
- It restores your postural alignment, which supports better oxygen flow.
- It improves your focus—because you have to stay mentally engaged to perform the moves correctly.
Let me ask you something—
When was the last time you moved your body without rushing? Without forcing? Without judgment?
Pilates offers you that rare moment of pause. It helps you feel safe in your body again. And over time, that calm you create during practice begins to show up in your everyday life—especially during those moments when anxiety used to take over.
Now, let’s move into the actual exercises. These are the best Pilates moves for anxiety relief, and I’ll show you how each one supports your emotional and physical wellness.
7 Best Pilates Moves For Anxiety Relief
These seven exercises have been selected not just for their physical benefit but for the way they regulate breath, center awareness, and release stress stored in your body. You can do them at home; no equipment is needed—just a mat and your breath.
1. The Hundred – Breath Control & Focus
The Hundred is more than just a warm-up move—it’s a breathing ritual. This classic Pilates exercise helps reset your nervous system by integrating breath control with gentle movement. When you’re anxious, your breath becomes shallow and tight.
The Hundred trains you to expand your lung capacity, improve oxygen flow, and engage the deep core muscles, giving your body something to focus on—not stress. It builds mental discipline, improves circulation, and reinforces rhythm—all while lying down.
How To Do It?
- Lie flat on your back with knees bent at a 90° angle, feet lifted
- Lift your arms straight above your hips, then lower them a few inches off the mat
- Gently raise your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor
- Begin pumping your arms up and down in a small, controlled motion
- Inhale for 5 arm pumps, exhale for 5 pumps (one cycle)
- Complete 10 cycles for a total of 100 arm pumps
- Lower down slowly to rest
Breath Tip!
Try to fully inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, pressing the air out from your belly. Match breath to your arm rhythm.
You can’t spiral into panic while you’re focused on counting your breath.
2. Spine Stretch Forward – Release and Let Go
Stress and anxiety often collect in the back, shoulders, and hamstrings—especially when we’re seated for hours. The Spine Stretch Forward encourages a safe, grounded release of that tension by allowing the spine to lengthen while your body folds inward.
This move mimics the same calming effect as curling up in a blanket. Emotionally, it provides a space to exhale all the weight you’ve been mentally carrying. Plus, it can also help improve posture and make you appear taller.
How To Do It?
- Sit tall with your legs extended straight in front of you, slightly wider than hip-width
- Flex your feet (heels pressing forward, toes pointing up)
- Extend your arms straight in front of you at shoulder height
- Inhale deeply to sit even taller
- Exhale and slowly round your spine forward, reaching your hands toward your toes
- Keep your sit bones anchored to the mat
- Inhale at the deepest stretch point, then exhale to return slowly to sitting
Breath Tip!
Use each exhale to feel the release—not just in your spine, but in your chest and jaw. Let everything soften as you fold.
Want to target your back more directly? Check out the best Pilates moves for lower back pain relief and start feeling the difference.
3. Leg Circles – Anchor The Mind
Leg Circles look simple, but are powerful for refocusing an anxious mind. This move challenges your ability to stay grounded while controlling a moving limb. It engages deep stabilizing core muscles, helping you feel physically and mentally centered.
When your thoughts are racing, focusing on the circular pattern and breath helps calm the chaos. It also improves hip mobility and neuromuscular coordination—two underrated keys to feeling safe in your body.
How To Do It?
- Lie flat on your back with arms by your sides
- Extend your left leg flat on the mat and raise your right leg straight up toward the ceiling
- Keep both hips stable as you circle the raised leg clockwise
- Inhale at the start of the circle, exhale as you complete the movement
- Perform 5–8 circles, then switch directions
- Switch legs and repeat
Breath Tip!
Inhale at the top of the circle. Exhale slowly as your leg sweeps around, engaging the abs to stabilize.
Your body leads the way—let your thoughts follow.
4. Rolling Like A Ball – Nervous System Reset
There’s something primal and soothing about rocking. Babies are rocked to sleep, and even adults instinctively sway when anxious.
Rolling Like a Ball taps into this calming rhythm, regulating the nervous system through movement. It massages the spine, builds balance, and activates the core—all while encouraging playfulness.
This gentle exercise helps reset your inner rhythm and promotes vestibular input, which has been shown to reduce anxiety and enhance emotional regulation.
How To Do It?
- Sit at the front of your mat with knees pulled in and hands wrapped lightly around your shins
- Balance on your sit bones, feet lifted off the mat
- Tuck your chin slightly and round your spine into a C-curve
- Inhale to roll back onto your upper back
- Exhale to roll forward, stopping just before your feet touch the floor
- Keep it controlled, repeating 6–8 times
Breath Tip!
Inhale as you roll back, exhale as you roll forward. Let the breath guide the flow, like waves in motion.
And if you need a reset button for your day, this move is your nervous system’s gentle reboot.
5. Cat-Cow Stretch – Melt Stored Tension
Even though it’s borrowed from yoga, Cat-Cow is widely used in Pilates because it offers immediate relief for a stiff, stressed-out spine. This move gently mobilizes each vertebra, improving spinal flexibility and posture—both of which are affected by chronic anxiety.
In addition, it allows for a direct connection between movement and breath, helping you become more aware of where you’re holding tension and how to release it.
How To Do It?
- Begin in an all-fours position: hands under shoulders, knees under hips
- Inhale as you drop your belly, lift your head and tailbone (Cow Pose)
- Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your pelvis and chin (Cat Pose)
- Move slowly and deliberately between the two for 8–10 cycles
- Keep your elbows soft and shoulders away from your ears
Breath Tip!
Let your inhale open the chest, and your exhale release the spine. Use the breath to connect every part of the movement.
Your spine remembers stress—teach it how to let go.
6. Pelvic Curl – Rebuild Trust With Your Body
Pelvic Curl is one of the most grounding movements in Pilates. It strengthens your glutes, back, and hamstrings while promoting spinal articulation and hip stability. But the real magic? It teaches you control—of your body, of your breath, of the moment.
That’s huge when anxiety makes you feel out of control. Each lift builds a little more confidence. Each roll-down teaches surrender. Together, they create balance.
How To Do It?
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat, and hip-width apart
- Arms rest beside you, palms down
- Inhale to prepare
- Exhale and tilt your pelvis to roll the spine off the mat, lifting your hips
- Hold for a breath at the top
- Exhale again to roll down slowly, one vertebra at a time
- Repeat 6–8 times
Breath Tip!
Focus on exhaling as you lift—press into the heels. Inhale at the top to feel grounded. Exhale slowly as you return.
So, can movement help you feel safe again? With this one—it absolutely can. And curious if Pilates can also tone your body? Read our article next: Does Pilates tone your body?
7. Child’s Pose – Total Release
This deeply restorative pose helps you reconnect with yourself. It’s gentle, quiet, and offers emotional relief that often words can’t. Child’s Pose helps turn down the mental noise, stretch the lower back, and release tight hips.
In anxious moments, it gives your body permission to stop bracing for what’s next. It also facilitates diaphragmatic breathing, which sends signals of safety to your brain.
How To Do It?
- Kneel on your mat and bring your big toes to touch
- Sit back onto your heels and lower your torso between your thighs
- Stretch your arms forward or let them rest beside your body
- Rest your forehead gently on the mat
- Hold for 60 seconds or longer, breathing slowly
Breath Tip!
Feel the breath expand your back ribs. With every exhale, imagine sinking deeper into calm.
This isn’t giving up—it’s giving in to peace.
Add These Mini Habits To Boost Calm Daily
Doing Pilates for anxiety relief is powerful, but what you do between sessions matters just as much. Your nervous system thrives on consistency and safety—not perfection.
That’s why combining your Pilates practice with simple, repeatable mini habits can amplify the calm and help it stick around longer.
You don’t need an over-the-top morning routine or hours of free time. You need a few grounded, intentional practices that support nervous system regulation—especially during stressful moments when your mind starts spinning.
Here are some habits I recommend (and personally use) alongside the best Pilates moves for anxiety relief:
- Bookend your day with breathwork. Try just 3 minutes of box breathing in the morning and before bed.
- Drink your water slowly. Not chugged. Sipped mindfully. This simple act tells your body it’s safe.
- Journal after your Pilates sessions. Reflect on how your body feels. It strengthens self-awareness.
- Keep your phone out of reach for 30 minutes post-practice. Let your nervous system stay in the calm you just created.
- End your shower with 30 seconds of cool water. This stimulates the vagus nerve and supports emotional resilience.
Ask yourself—
What’s one small habit I can repeat daily that makes me feel grounded?
Start with that. When practiced alongside Pilates, it creates a compounding calm effect that makes anxiety easier to manage, one day at a time.
But how long does it take to see Pilates results? So, it’s around 3 to 8 weeks in practice.
How Often Should You Do These Moves?
This is one of the most common questions I get during consultations:
“How often do I need to do Pilates to feel a real difference?”
And here’s the good news—you don’t need a 60-minute daily session to calm your nervous system. Even 10–15 minutes of consistent, focused movement can create noticeable shifts in your mood, your energy, and your ability to handle stress.
For anxiety relief specifically, I recommend this approach:
- Start with 3 sessions per week, even if they’re short (10–20 minutes)
- Choose 3–5 of the moves we covered—rotate them based on how your body feels that day
- If you’re feeling overwhelmed, prioritize breath-based movements like The Hundred, Cat-Cow, and Child’s Pose
- On off days, take 2 minutes to reconnect with one move or just stretch with deep breathing
Consistency rewires your nervous system. Think of it like this—
You’re training your body to stop overreacting to stress. That takes time, but it works.
One thing I always tell my clients is this:
Don’t wait for a crisis to practice calm. Build it daily, and it will be there when you need it most.
Let’s move into the final emotional section, where I’ll share some personal, nurse-to-you insights that help when anxiety creeps in.
From Nurse To You: My Go-To Tips When Anxiety Creeps In
You know what no one tells you about anxiety?
That even when you’re doing everything right, it can still show up—quietly, suddenly, and sometimes without any clear trigger. And I want you to know… that doesn’t mean you’re failing.
As a nurse, wellness writer, and someone who’s worked with clients navigating emotional burnout, I’ve seen anxiety take so many shapes. Some people feel it in their chest. Some in their gut. Others in the way they can’t sit still or fall asleep at night.
What matters most is not pushing it away but learning how to meet it with tools that work for you.
Here’s what I personally turn to when I feel that creeping tightness in my chest or those racing thoughts trying to hijack my day:
- I pause and place one hand on my belly, the other on my heart. I take 3 slow breaths and name what I feel—out loud.
- I do a single Pilates move. Usually, the Spine Stretch Forward or Pelvic Curl. Just one. It helps me return to my body.
- I remind myself: “This is a moment, not a life sentence.” The body calms faster when the mind stops catastrophizing.
- I let myself rest without guilt. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is crawl into a Child’s Pose and just… be.
Let me ask you something:
What if anxiety wasn’t something to fight but something to gently tend to—like an overstimulated nervous system asking for help?
When you shift your mindset from control to compassion, your healing accelerates. Your body listens when you’re kind to it. And Pilates? It becomes your quiet, consistent way of saying:
“I’m here. I’ve got you.”
Conclusion
You don’t have to chase calm anymore. You can create it—one mindful breath, one slow movement, one grounded choice at a time.
The best Pilates moves for anxiety relief aren’t about perfect form or fancy routines. They’re about reconnecting with your body, regulating your breath, and reminding your nervous system that it’s safe to let go.
Whether you’re dealing with mild stress or long-term anxiety, the movement offers you something medicine alone can’t: self-trust.
And remember—this isn’t about doing it all at once. It’s about starting where you are. Pick one move. Do it today. Notice how you feel. Then repeat tomorrow. Small steps are still steps forward.
If you need help building your own wellness routine or want a personalized mind-body plan, feel free to reach out. I’d love to support you.
You’re not just managing anxiety anymore.
You’re learning to move through it—calmly, confidently, and on your terms.
