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The Low-Impact Workout That Could Add Years to Your Life
If you’ve been wavering between a spin class and your first Pilates session, new research from Arizona State University may help make the decision easy. A study of more than 55,000 U.S. adults found that of 21 alternative health practices examined, only two showed a meaningful link to longer lifespans — and both involve a mat and intentional movement. Pilates was associated with a 36% lower risk of premature death. Yoga came in at 27%. Every other practice tested — from acupuncture to homeopathy — showed no statistically significant benefit.
What makes this study particularly useful is its rigor. Researchers linked nationally representative survey data to actual mortality records over roughly a decade, then adjusted for confounding factors including income, education, BMI, smoking, and self-rated health. That level of control makes the findings hard to dismiss as coincidence. The study was led by Connor Sheehan, associate professor in ASU’s T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2026.
What the Research Says
The ASU team examined 21 complementary and alternative health practices — from chiropractic care to specialized diets — to see which ones correlated with survival. Only Pilates and yoga cleared the threshold for statistical significance. Lead researcher Sheehan attributes this to a combination of mechanisms: both build strength and balance (critical for preventing the falls that shorten lives in older adults), both emphasise breath work and stress reduction (which drive down systemic inflammation), and both are frequently practiced in social settings (community itself being an independent longevity factor). A 2024 randomised controlled trial published in Sports (Basel) adds direct biological evidence: 12 weeks of mat Pilates three times weekly reduced systolic blood pressure by approximately 16 mmHg and significantly lowered TNF-α (a key inflammatory marker) and oxidative stress markers in adults aged 60–75 — suggesting a real physiological pathway, not just statistical noise (Woramontri et al., 2024).
What This Means for Your Training
The practical takeaway isn’t that you should abandon cardio or strength training. Total exercise volume still matters. But this research makes a strong case for layering mind-body movement into your existing routine rather than treating it as a soft optional extra. For athletes already training hard, Pilates and yoga pull double duty as active recovery: they improve joint mobility, build stabiliser muscles that protect against injury, and reduce cortisol without adding excessive training load. If you’re newer to movement, both disciplines offer a genuinely low barrier to entry — no equipment required beyond a decent mat, and the core strength you develop transfers directly to every other form of exercise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this study prove that Pilates makes you live longer?
No — it shows a statistical association, not a cause-and-effect relationship. The researchers are clear that healthier people may simply be more likely to choose and sustain Pilates, which could inflate the apparent benefit. What it does confirm is a consistent pattern across a large, nationally representative sample — which is considerably stronger than anecdotal evidence or small single-site trials.
How many days per week of Pilates would be needed to see benefits?
The ASU study doesn’t prescribe a frequency — it simply recorded whether participants practised Pilates at all. The supporting 2024 clinical trial used three 60-minute sessions per week over 12 weeks and found measurable changes in blood pressure and inflammation. That’s a useful reference point, though even one or two sessions weekly almost certainly beats zero.
Is mat Pilates as effective as reformer Pilates for these longevity benefits?
The ASU study didn’t distinguish between mat and reformer practice — both counted as Pilates in the dataset. The 2024 clinical trial specifically used mat Pilates and produced meaningful physiological results, suggesting that studio reformer access isn’t a prerequisite for the benefits. A quality mat is all you need to start building the habit.
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