How Can Pilates and Yoga Help Dental Professionals?

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For many of us, it’s common to feel like we aren’t getting enough exercise or movement in our day to day lives.

Jobs such as dentistry that require frequent sitting all day can actually be a lot more physically exhausting than those in which you are on the move. In fact, studies are revealing the true impact that sitting is having on our bodies and health – some are even starting to call sitting the new smoking.

Combine this with the stress of long days, consistently keeping clients in the office, and even the added pressure of selling a practice, and what you have is a recipe for disaster.

As a dentist, you need a solution that can offer noticeable benefits without the need to spend hours a day or a commute in order to practice. It is also preferable that it is something that can be performed at work.

Enter Yoga and Pilates.

Yoga is an ancient Indian exercise that dates back to 500 BC while Pilates was developed in the early 20^th century. Both focus on eliminating muscular imbalances and improving physical health.

The major difference between the two is that yoga has a larger focus on the spiritual aspect of the exercise. If you are open to the idea of spirituality, then you might find a greater psychological benefit from doing yoga, however if that isn’t your cup of tea, you’ll probably find that Pilates resonates more with you.

If you are looking for an introduction to Yoga or Pilates, a simple Google search will reveal a number of studios in your area. However if you’d prefer to just learn at home, Do Yoga With Me offers a number of free and paid online Yoga and Pilates classes to get you started.

Here are some of the ways in which Pilates and Yoga can help dental professionals.

Relieve stress. When we work long hours in a closed environment it is inevitable that we will end up accumulating stress. Yoga and Pilates are great ways to relieve that stress either before, after, or during work.

Improved flexibility and posture. Spending all day at a desk inevitably damages your posture and limits your flexibility. Consistent daily stretches lengthen the muscles and help you to become more flexible, improving your posture in the process.

Improve vitality. At the end of the day when your muscles would have usually been tired, the endurance that you will have as a result of the core strength you’ve gained from these practices will mean that you will have more energy.

Slows the aging process. A new study has suggested that yoga can actually slow the aging process by increasing two key hormones linked to longevity – Growth Hormone (GH) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS). When we age we tend to lose these biochemical, and men, in particular, can see significant benefits by ensuring their balance.

If you’re working long hours, or maybe even in the process of a dental transition, you’re probably feeling stressed. Consider yoga and Pilates as a natural way to improve health, vitality and your performance at work.