By now, you may have heard about some of the health benefits of biking. Many people who ride bikes enjoy improved cardiovascular health and weight management. You’re probably not surprised to learn that biking also offers mental health benefits. Because cycling is low-impact exercise, it doesn’t put added strain on weight-bearing joints. Nearly anyone can get into biking – and this guide offers plenty of reasons to start.
How Cycling Improves Your Mood
It’s no secret that aerobic exercise can fuel mental wellbeing. Physical activity increases the production of endorphins, which can help lower pain and stress levels. It also triggers the release of serotonin, which improves your overall mood. Riding your bike can also increase your levels of dopamine. This neurotransmitter also helps regulate your mood and emotions, but it’s also tied to memory, focus, executive functioning, sleep and digestion.
Biking and Meditation
When you hear the word “meditation,” you may think of someone sitting lotus-style and repeating a mantra. That’s one way to meditate. But cycling offers additional possibilities. Part of the key is repetitive movement. Eventually, your mind enters a zone, or “flow state.” It can also boost anandamide, a lipid neurotransmitter that binds to cannabinoid receptors in our brains. It may play a role in post-cycling calm and euphoric feelings.
Cycling and Stress Reduction
Riding your bike can reduce stress and anxiety levels. One reason is that physical activity lowers your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cycling also helps you regulate your breathing. As you must take in enough oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, this process signals your brain to relax. In turn, your brain sends this message to your body.
How Biking Impacts Sleep Quality
With biking’s mood-boosting, stress-reducing and meditative effects, sleep improvement is another natural benefit. Cycling outdoors is particularly helpful because it exposes the mind and body to daylight. This exposure aids in synchronizing our circadian rhythms, which impact our sleep-wake cycles. When choosing a bike, make sure its specs match the terrain you ride on. Bikes for sand, for instance, sport larger and wider tires for better traction.
Biking and Self-Esteem
As you know, self-esteem is one’s sense of value and worth. Regular exercise, especially cycling, can improve that self-esteem in many ways. Setting reasonable goals and achieving them leads to a sense of accomplishment.
Cycling’s Social Benefits
The many advantages you gain from biking can be achieved riding solo. But the community aspect of cycling adds another dimension. Riding with friends and family allows you to spend more time together, forget the day’s woes and enjoy yourself. And if you connect with other cyclists, you can gain community and a sense of belonging. All these experiences can increase your mental and emotional health.
Biking has a lot to offer. The physical and mental health benefits are numerous – and those benefits can be gained regardless of one’s fitness level or body size. Selecting a bike that meets your needs is the first step. From hybrids to mountain bikes, shopping around can help you find the best bicycle for exercise.