Living in our times of anxiety, constant news cycles, demanding employment, and heightened responsibilities, it is no wonder that people may find it challenging to cope from day to day. The Microsoft Network (MSN) reports that as many as 40% of people have reported overwhelming stress. While there are many potential solutions to bring your mind and body back to a state of calm and comfort, one of the most overlooked is to go somewhere else physically. There is a reason so many residents of Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland have been interested in attending a Pilates retreat over the last few years!
Pilates retreats are distinctive among other types of getaways for their holistic approach to wellness. By combining the mind and body in intentional ways, Pilates as a form of wellness travel can produce effects you might not be expecting. Here are some of the reasons why a retreat is one of the most healing gifts you can give yourself.
Essential Takeaways
- Pilates, as a form of exercise, pairs effectively with wellness travel because it complements methods that promote the release of hormones such as serotonin.
- Breaking out of your routine can help you gain a new perspective and change your body’s physical rhythms to achieve rest.
- Pilates retreats encourage a mind-body connection that you can continue to cultivate long after you return home.
- According to science, doing new things can make you happier, and visiting new places is one of the best ways to achieve this effect.
The Power of Stepping Out of Routine
For many, stress arises from the daily grind. Get up, go to work, deal with the commute home, make dinner, and then have an hour or two to yourself before you go to sleep and start it all over again. One of the main ways that participants in a Pilates retreat grow is by breaking out of their routines.
Seeing your life from a new perspective, and even a new place, helps you spot problems you might have been entrenched in. In the calmness of a Pilates workout, you may notice areas where you hold tension during the workday, causing lingering pain that reduces your quality of life. Perhaps your mind wanders to all of the things you feel you “should” be doing, which can pinpoint areas where you are overcommitted. Recognizing these small things can lead to significant changes when you return.
Connecting the Mind and the Body
Pilates is a powerful form of motion because it joins the mind and body in a concerted effort toward wellness. When you practice Pilates, you strengthen your body, improve flexibility, and become more balanced. However, you are also developing your mind’s ability to be present, focused, aware, and grounded. These skills will continue to serve you well long after you leave your destination, such as a gift that keeps on giving for years to come.
Triggering Novelty
Research indicates that engaging in new things triggers hormones such as serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and reward. Exercise (such as Pilates!) can further enhance this effect. So when you try a wellness retreat, you are experiencing something novel and exciting, which can kick your brain back into serotonin-producing mode. Reconnecting with this part of yourself can carry through after you get back home.
What Wellness Travel Looks Like
So you are considering giving yourself the gift of wellness travel; now what? Because exercise boosts serotonin and Pilates offers benefits on both the mental and physical levels, many people choose Pilates retreats as the best of all worlds.
Consider, for instance, the opportunity to go to Costa Rica for a restful five days of body-nourishing Pilates alongside activities to soothe the mind. Whether you want to try a Peruvian sweat lodge, sound healing, participation in local cultural ceremonies, or even surf lessons, Pilates retreats can provide the deep breath you need to recalibrate and find yourself again.
If you choose to simply bask in the beautiful vistas and stay in rather than going out to wander, that is also welcome and might be just what your body needs.
Gift Yourself the Transformation of a Wellness Retreat
If you need a break from the stressors of your life, wellness travel is one of the most healing choices you can make. Among your options, Pilates retreats combine the best forms of holistic wellness and recovery to help you reclaim your body and mind. RTR Pilates is proud to offer deeply engaging wellness retreats, whether you want to spend days in Costa Rica or a single afternoon at a day retreat. Contact RTR Pilates today to try a beginner class or sign up for our wellness travel options!
