Doing Wall Pilates Has An Unexpected Effect On Your Sleep

More and more people are recognizing the importance of sleep for optimum health. Quality sleep improves your mood, metabolism, and immune system, and sleep specialists will often suggest creating a bedtime routine to help your body and mind wind down for sleep. 

You probably already know what you should be doing, such as skipping a heavy dinner and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed. Your phone and other digital devices keep you awake too, not only because they emit blue light but also because the content can whip up your thoughts and arouse emotions.

Exercising can help improve your sleep, but a late-night CrossFit or HIIT session can keep your mind and body spinning for a few hours. On the other hand, low-intensity exercises like yoga, tai chi, or Pilates (pronounced pi-LAH-teez) can help you stretch and move the stress out of your body before your head hits the pillow. Wall Pilates could be even more beneficial because your legs are elevated up the wall. This can help improve your circulation without raising your heart rate before bed.

Some Pilates workouts use fancy reformer machines to stretch and strengthen your body, but wall Pilates takes a simpler approach. You perform some of the traditional Pilates movements using the wall for resistance. If you try wall Pilates before bed, you'll focus on exercises where your legs are higher than your head. Yoga lovers are already familiar with the benefits of inversions, like the popular legs-up-the-wall pose. These moves help counteract gravity, ease tension, and reduce swelling in your legs — perfect for unwinding at the end of the day.

While wall Pilates is a newer trend, research on traditional Pilates shows that it can improve sleep for people of all ages. A 2013 study in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies found that practicing Pilates twice a week for 12 weeks helped older adults sleep better and feel less drowsy during the day. A 2014 study in Perceptual and Motor Skills showed similar results in middle-aged adults, improving both sleep quality and overall well-being.

(Here's what can happen if you practice Pilates every day.)

Pilates is also for young people who might lose sleep during their school week. A 2024 study in Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health had adolescent girls do Pilates three times a week for eight weeks. They fell asleep faster, slept longer, and had better overall sleep quality.

The best part about wall Pilates is that you don't need to head to a gym or Pilates studio. You can practice in the comfort of your home, as long as you have a sturdy wall and a little bit of space on the floor.

The wall roll-down is similar to a forward fold in yoga and helps release tension in your back. Stand with the back of your calves against the wall and your knees slightly bent. Slowly roll down, one vertebra at a time, feeling the stretch in your back and hamstrings. When you're ready to come back up, think of yourself as a rag doll by rolling up slowly, letting your head and shoulders rise last. Repeat a few times until your back and legs feel looser.

The elevated hip bridge is a bit more dynamic and strengthens your core and glutes. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and toes touching the wall. Then, place your feet flat against the wall so your shins are parallel to the floor. To protect your lower back, lift your tailbone first, then press into the wall with your feet as you raise your hips. Inhale as you lower, and exhale as you engage your core to lift back up. Aim for 10 to 12 reps.

This final move is all about relaxation. Scoot your hips as close to the wall as possible and extend your legs upward, forming an L-shape with your body. Stretch your arms out to the sides in a T-shape and focus on slow, deep belly breathing. Stay here for about five minutes, letting your body fully relax before bed.