Can Pilates improve sleep?

Pilates offers more than good exercise for the body; consistent practice leads to real improvements in life quality, notably better depth and quality of sleep, says recent research. A preliminary study with 30 young adults showed that participating in two 1-hour Pilates mat classes per week for 12 weeks improved both sleep quality and life quality. Subjects were healthy, inactive adults aged 20-24 who provided self-reports in how the Pilates practice affected these factors. Study authors noted that while the protocol resulted in benefits for practitioners, the sample size was small and there was no control group. More research is warranted.