Pilates for Immune Support: Strengthen Your Body This Fall

As autumn settles in and cozy routines return, many of us start thinking about how to stay well. From sudden weather shifts to the return of cold and flu season, October is nature’s gentle nudge to take care of our bodies a little more intentionally. While supplements and hot teas have their place, one of the most overlooked tools for immune support is mindful movement — specifically, Pilates.

Yes — Pilates can help strengthen your immune system!

Not only does Pilates strengthen your muscles and stabilize your joints, but by reducing stress, supporting lymphatic flow, and improving circulation, Pilates helps your body function at its best, making it more resilient against seasonal illness.

Here's how this practice helps protect your health from the inside out, especially when your body needs it most.

1. Improves Lymphatic Flow

Unlike your circulatory system, your lymphatic system doesn’t have a built-in pump. It relies on movement and breath to circulate lymph, flush out toxins, and support immune cells. Pilates exercises that involve gentle twists, spinal articulation, and full-body movement are ideal for stimulating lymphatic drainage and encouraging healthy flow.

2. Reduces Stress and Lowers Cortisol

Then there’s the impact on stress, which we often underestimate. As beautiful as fall can be, the shift in seasons — and back-to-school, back-to-routine energy — can also spike anxiety. Chronic stress increases cortisol levels, which in turn suppresses immune function. Pilates helps you regulate your nervous system by promoting slower breathing, body awareness, and intentional movement. That shift into a parasympathetic state (aka “rest and digest”) allows your body to relax, recover, and build natural resistance.

3. Increases Circulation

We also can't ignore circulation, which plays a vital role in immune function. Good circulation ensures that oxygen and nutrients are delivered efficiently to your tissues and organs. Pilates gently gets the blood flowing, without the inflammation risk of high-impact workouts, making it a supportive and sustainable choice, especially as the weather gets colder.

4. Encourages Deep Breathing

Let’s not forget the power of breath. Many Pilates techniques incorporate deep, diaphragmatic breathing, which increases lung capacity, clears out stale air, and reduces tension in the body. This kind of focused breathing not only helps with mental clarity, but also oxygenates your cells, which is vital for keeping your immune system alert and ready.

To put all of this into action, try adding some immunity-supportive exercises to your weekly routine this month. For example:

• Spine Twist: Encourages circulation and lymphatic movement. This is great for stimulating detox pathways and activating the core.
  
• Bridge Pose: Activates glutes and circulates lymph from lower body. This helps promote circulation from the lower body upward.
  
• Leg Circles: This supports mobility in the hips, where many lymph nodes reside.
  
• Rolling Like a Ball: Stimulates spinal nerves and boosts circulation. This awakens your spine and gently massages the nervous system!
  
• Breathwork + Meditation: For the ultimate stress relief, combine breathwork with a calming Legs Up the Wall pose or use the straps on your Frame Reformer to elevate and reset. This adds a calming element that reduces stress. 

You can make this a morning ritual to boost your defenses or a wind-down routine to calm your nervous system before bed. Bonus points for pairing it with a warm mug of ginger tea and one of Maura’s guided meditations.

This fall, don’t wait until you’re rundown to give your immune system attention. Move with intention, breathe with awareness, and let Pilates become your seasonal reset — one breath, one stretch, one strong, supported day at a time.