March 2026
Hello Pilates people!
February has passed and we’re on to daylight savings and, soon enough, spring! Spring has always been my favorite of the four seasons as earth comes to life before our eyes. Sights, scents, and sounds all blossom into abundance, becoming unavoidable. Spring welcomes us with open arms, inviting us to reap its many benefits. In a recent interview Michael Pollen said something that really stuck out to me. He said “I’m more aware of nature. I mean, nature has a subtle, quiet voice, and it gets drowned out very easily by our lives and by our technologies. And so, I find when I’m off my phone, and we do a lot of hiking […] you can really attend to the kind of subtleties of nature, and suddenly nature speaks more loudly to you.” I found this simple statement so true, while nature is always there speaking to us, we’re not always open to receiving what it has to share!
“By all means, never fail to get all the sunshine and fresh air you can.” Joseph Pilates
It was no surprise that upon reviewing my Pilates lifestyle worksheets from January and February, fresh air and sunshine are consistently my most prioritized categories. I love the feeling of the sun penetrating deep into my soul, energizing from within. I love the sounds of each season; birds and owls, quiet and distant through the winter but progressively getting louder and more active throughout the spring and into summer as the chicks grow into hungry youth and energetic adolescence. The seasonal sounds of the lake; boats rocking in the breeze or ice chunks gently knocking one another in the deep of winter. The quiet swirl of leaves dancing in the fall only to be loudly crunched underfoot. The sight of peonies opening into voluptuous beauties for their disappointingly short bloom or the shimmer of fresh snow on the mountains at daybreak. Just thinking about it induces a sense of calm and wellbeing. It is no wonder that Mr. Pilates was such an advocate for balancing your Pilates exercises with as much fresh air and sunshine as possible.
The benefits of fresh air and sunshine are not just surface level but physically impact human wellbeing in a major way. Bathing in sunlight boosts vitamin D, releases serotonin, and regulates our circadian rhythm. Vitamin D is well known for promoting calcium absorption, keeping bones growing and remodeling to their strongest potential, but it plays many other critical roles. Vitamin D contributes to cell growth regulation helping to fight infections and reduce inflammation and has been shown to reduce cancerous cell growth. When the sun is low and the days are short through the long winter we’re often not able to create the required amount of vitamin D from the sun alone, but there are still benefits to be had; the serotonin release is still immensely impactful to our overall health.
Serotonin is a powerful neurotransmitter, carrying messages from your central nervous system in the brain throughout the rest of the body. Higher serotonin levels boost mood and happiness, help create melatonin to regulate sleep, and improve digestion. Interestingly, the majority of serotonin is created in our intestines, but is most commonly releases from direct sunlight exposure and exercise. High serotonin production is directly linked to lower stress and anxiety and an overall sense of wellbeing. Sunlight exposure early in the morning sets the internal clock promoting alertness and energy throughout the day allowing us to naturally wind down as the sun sets in the evening. With sleep being one of the three pillars of health and only 32% of Americans reporting excellent sleep quality, using the morning sun to set circadian rhythm could significantly improve that percentage.
Joseph Pilates believed deeply in the importance of breathing and fresh air. He recognized that poor breathing technique and poor air quality were both directly related to quality of life as well as life span. Today, we use his exercises to strengthen our breathing technique and improve circulation, but it can only do so much if we are not providing ourselves with the freshest air possible as often as possible. According to the NIH, air pollution contributes to more than 6.5 million deaths annually. Sadly, air pollution is often unavoidable in the areas in which we reside, so we must make it a priority to spend our leisure time away from busy metropolitan areas, and in parks and nature as often as possible. Breathing clean, fresh air delivers more oxygen more efficiently throughout the body. Increased oxygen supply directly results in more abundant energy due to its roll in cellular respiration, the process in which glucose is broken down creating usable energy. The benefits of ample oxygen intake include increased brain activity and concentration, improved physical strength and endurance, blood detoxification, and immune system health, just to name a few!
Every morning after my daughter gets on the bus my husband and I walk around our neighborhood lake. We set our intentions for the day, we share any challenges that we’re facing, sometimes we’re quiet and just enjoy being together. We get a little exercise, an abundance of fresh air, the sunshine on our faces, and all the beauty that nature decides to share. Some days we’re treated to a brilliant sunrise, some days it’s dark and cold, and sometimes, like today, it’s incredibly windy and we must keep our heads down and push through nature’s gusts.
I often like to end my day the same way, asking my husband, Todd, and daughter, Leah, if they would like to join me for a walk after dinner. They always laugh and roll their eyes; they find me so predictable. But once we’re out, talking and laughing, enjoying the sunset and chatting with neighbors, they always agree; a walk outdoors always leaves you feeling good. Regardless of the weather, the temperature, or our energy level, it’s always perfect because it starts, or ends, the day with love, nature, fresh air, and gratitude.
