Has your body quietly changed, without you really noticing?

Today’s blog is about something I see all the time in my work as a physiotherapist and Pilates teacher:
your body changes, and so do your habits, often without you really realising it.

Life gets busy. Routines settle in. The body finds easier ways to do things.
And before you know it, your function has shifted, not because something dramatic happened, but because small daily habits slowly add up.


Breathing: something we do all day, but rarely think about

Recently, I read a book about breathing, and it really made me reflect on my own habits.

We breathe all day, every day. But many of us have adapted to breathing more through the mouth rather than the nose, especially when we’re under stress, exercising, or rushing.

In Pilates, yoga, and martial arts like karate, there’s a strong emphasis on nasal breathing. And for good reason:

  • The nose warms and filters the air
  • It provides important sensory input
  • It helps filter viruses and particles better than mouth breathing
  • It naturally slows the breath, which supports the parasympathetic (calming) nervous system

Breathing through your nose helps your body calm down, regulate better, and use the diaphragm more effectively.

I always thought I mainly breathed through my nose. But I’ve realised that as soon as I run, feel stressed, or increase the load on my system, my mouth opens very quickly. That often leads to more shallow breathing, and less effective use of the diaphragm over time.

So now I’ve started to simply notice:
Am I breathing through my nose or my mouth during the day?

The answer has surprised me.

The body always chooses the easy option

This doesn’t just apply to breathing.

As we get older and life goes on, we stop paying attention to how we move. The body will always choose the easiest strategy if we allow it.

That can mean:

  • Avoiding balance challenges to “stay safe”
  • Using your arms to push up from a chair instead of your legs
  • Relying on the same movement patterns over and over

At first, it feels fine. But over months or years, these small changes add up.

Suddenly, balance isn’t what it used to be.
Standing on one leg feels shaky.
Getting up from a chair feels harder.

Many people tell me they have strong legs, but when we test things like standing up on one leg, they’re often surprised by how difficult it feels.

And when we start using our arms more to help ourselves up, those smaller muscles in the shoulders and neck end up doing work meant for the big leg muscles. That can easily contribute to neck and shoulder tension.

Simple self-tests can be very revealing

Sometimes it’s useful to gently test yourself:

  • Can you stand on one leg?
  • What happens if you close your eyes?
  • Can you stand up from a chair on one leg?
  • How often do you use your arms to help?
  • Are you breathing through your nose or mouth during the day?

These aren’t about being perfect. They’re about awareness.

Because when we always choose the easy option, function slowly declines, often without us noticing, until one day it suddenly feels harder than it should.

What we look at in an assessment before you join my classes

When people come to me for an assessment before they join my classes, the goal is to understand what you should focus on, and what you can do during the day to help yourself get stronger and function better.

We look at several key areas:

Posture
How you stand and sit during the day, and how small adjustments can improve how your body is loaded and supported.

Balance
How well you can control your body, and whether your balance systems are being challenged enough.

Mobility
Especially around the spine, hips, and shoulders, areas that are essential for daily movement and often become stiffer over time.

Core and pelvic floor function
How your deep core activates, how well you can control it, and how strong and responsive your pelvic floor is. This connection is essential for spinal support, efficient movement, and using your body in the best possible way.

Abdominal strength
So your deeper system and your stronger abdominal muscles work together, giving you real, usable support, not just tension.

Very often, people are surprised by what has changed over the years.
But they are also incredibly grateful to finally understand what to focus on.

That clarity, knowing what your body needs, is what helps you feel stronger, more balanced, and more confident in your body again.

Small changes, done consistently, make a big difference.

And sometimes, it all starts with simply becoming more aware.

-Astrid-