Whilst exercise & fitness are so important in life, rest days are key as well. Sleep, rest and relaxation are integral to your health.

When we miss sleep, we lose ability to learn, the mind becomes affected and we simply have trouble doing basic things.  Yes, the world is fast paced these days and it’s often a struggle to keep up, but don’t try to and drop your own down time.

Sleep energises us, it helps us become productive and healthier by allowing the body and mind to rest and recuperate. Only 7% of us actually get the recommended amount of 8 hours sleep every night. If you’re cutting down on sleep, you’re actually increasing your risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity and even death.

Exercise is great, Pilates is wonderful, but sleep is so crucial to life. Take time to relax this Bank Holiday weekend.

Core strength can help athletes and sports people to achieve their goals but what about for everyone else, in everyday life? Here are some areas of life where core strength comes into play.

From standing still to bending to put on your socks in the morning, there are so many ‘mundane’ actions that we perform every day requiring our core. Think about the housework you do, vacuuming, reaching, stretching, these actions all need your core to work. You might not even notice until they start to hurt or become painful.

If you work at a desk, taking phone calls, typing, sitting, this all relies on your core strength. If you have a weak core your posture won’t be good, you’ll slouch. If you get the train or bus to work, your core will help you get there. Your core helps to stabilise your body, so even on the bumpiest train ride or stop-start bus journey where you don’t have a seat, your core will assist you in staying on your feet.

Good core strength can eliminate back pain. Around 4 out of 5 people suffer from back pain at some point in their life. Enhancing your core strength can help to keep pain at bay and recover from this type of injury.

Sexual activity requires core strength power and flexibility as well, this isn’t spoken about enough.

Pilates helps to strength your core which in turn helps you in everyday life. It’s not just for cyclists and other sportsmen and women. Add Pilates in for a better quality of life.