EFFECTS OF REFORMER PILATES TRAINING

November 3, 2026 updated by: Yağmur YILDIZ, Aksaray University

The Effects of Reformer Pilates Training on Sleep Quality and Mental and Physical Health Outcomes in Sedentary Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study investigated the effects of a 5-week Reformer Pilates exercise program on sleep quality, depression, anxiety, stress, and body mass index in 26 sedentary women. Participants completed 10 exercise sessions, with two sessions per week. Sleep quality and mental health were assessed before and after the intervention using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. Following the program, significant improvements were observed in sleep quality, depression, stress, and body mass index. These findings suggest that Reformer Pilates may be a beneficial exercise approach for improving selected physical and psychological outcomes in sedentary women.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Purpose: Pilates is a widely utilized exercise therapy modality aimed at improving physical fitness, body composition, and both physical and psychological well-being in healthy populations. The aim of this study was to comprehensively investigate the effects of a Reformer Pilates (RP) exercise program on levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as on sleep quality and body mass index.

Methods: Twenty-six sedentary women participated in this study. Participants completed a RP exercise program consisting of 10 sessions over a 5-week period, with two sessions per week. Sleep quality and mental health status were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), respectively. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from participants' height and body mass measurements. All outcome measures were assessed before the exercise program and immediately following its completion.

Keywords: Reformer pilates, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, stress, body mass index.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
24

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Aksaray
      • Aksaray, Aksaray, Turkey (Türkiye), 68100
        • Aksaray University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 35 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women aged 18-35 years.
  • Having a sedentary lifestyle.
  • Not having participated regularly in a Reformer Pilates exercise program previously.
  • Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study.
  • Providing written informed consent.
  • Agreeing to participate in all study assessments and the 5-week Reformer -Pilates exercise program.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Failure to attend the Reformer Pilates exercise sessions regularly.
  • Failure to complete the 10-session exercise program.
  • Participation in another regular exercise program during the study period.
  • Having a musculoskeletal injury or health condition that prevents participation in exercise.
  • Failure to complete any of the study assessments.
  • Voluntary withdrawal from the study during the study period.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Screening
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: RP GRUP

Twenty-six sedentary women participated in this study . Participants completed a RP exercise program consisting of 10 sessions over a 5-week period, with two sessions per week. Sleep quality and mental health status were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), respectively. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from participants' height and body mass measurements. All outcome measures were assessed before the exercise program and immediately following its completion.
Behavioral: Reformer Pilates exercise program

As part of the study, participants took part in a RP exercise programme scheduled for two days a week and comprising a total of 10 sessions. The exercise programme was structured in accordance with the principle of controlled progression, taking into account the participants' sedentary lifestyles. The sessions were conducted under the supervision of a qualified instructor with expertise in RP (SM); throughout the exercises, emphasis was placed on correct posture, breath control and movement integrity. Care was taken to ensure that all participants were subjected to the same exercise content and conditions throughout the programme. The exercise sessions were planned to include warm-up, the main exercise programme and cool-down phases. The exercise programme was implemented systematically, taking into account the principles of weekly periodisation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 5-week intervention

Measure: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) total score Scale name: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Minimum score: 0. Maximum score: 21. Interpretation: Higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality, whereas lower scores indicate better sleep quality.
Baseline and immediately after the 5-week intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (Short Form)
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 5-week intervention

Measure: Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) scores for depression, anxiety, and stress Scale name: Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21). Minimum score: 0 for each subscale. Maximum score: 21 for each subscale. Subscales: Depression, anxiety, and stress (7 items each). Interpretation: Higher scores indicate higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively.
Baseline and immediately after the 5-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Aksaray University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

  • Adıgüzel, S., Aras, D., Gülü, M., Aldhahi, M. I., Alqahtani, A. S., & Al-Mhanna, S. B. (2023). Comparative effectiveness of 10-week equipment-based pilates and diaphragmatic breathing exercise on heart rate variability and pulmonary function in young adult healthy women with normal BMI-a quasi-experimental study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 15(1), 82. Ağargün, M. Y. (1996). Validity and reliability of Turkish version of Pittsburgh sleep quality index. Türk Psikiyatri Dergisi, 7, 107. Aibar-Almazán, A., Hita-Contreras, F., Cruz-Díaz, D., de la Torre-Cruz, M., Jiménez-García, J. D., & Martínez-Amat, A. (2019). Effects of Pilates training on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Maturitas, 124, 62-67. A'Naja, M. N., Batrakoulis, A., Camhi, S. M., McAvoy, C., Sansone, J. S., & Reed, R. (2024). 2025 ACSM worldwide fitness trends: future directions of the health and fitness industry. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 28(6), 11-25. Ashrafinia, F., Mohammadizadeh, S., & Fathizadeh, N. (2014). The effects of Pilates exercise on sleep quality in postpartum women. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 18(2), 190-199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2013.09.007 Buysse, D. J., Reynolds III, C. F., Monk, T. H., Berman, S. R., & Kupfer, D. J. (1989). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry research, 28(2), 193-213. Caldwell, K., Harrison, M., Adams, M., & Triplett, N. T. (2009). Effect of Pilates and taiji quan training on self-efficacy, sleep quality, mood, and physical performance of college students. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 13(2), 155-163. Caldwell, K., Harrison, M., Adams, M., & Triplett, N. T. (2009). Effect of Pilates and Taiji Quan training on self-efficacy, sleep quality, mood, and physical performance of college students. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 13(2), 155-163. https://doi.org/10.1

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 15, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 14, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 3, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 3, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2025/42

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant-level data will not be shared publicly because the dataset contains potentially identifiable participant information. To protect participant privacy and confidentiality, individual-level data will not be made publicly available. Aggregate study results will be reported in accordance with applicable ethical and data protection requirements.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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