Health Benefits of Regular Cycling
If you're searching for an excuse to start cycling, you don't have to look far. Some obvious ones include more time outside, simpler commutes, environmental factors, and the wonderful benefit of not having to look for parking! While the efficiency of biking is great, one of the best motivators to get on your bike is the myriad of health benefits that cycling provides.
Health Benefits of Cycling
It's no secret that regular exercise can lead to positive health outcomes. As our fitness increases, humans typically gain muscle and cardiovascular strength while losing fat and reducing the risk of certain diseases. Any form of movement is better than sitting on your couch, but some types of physical activity such as cycling have more health benefits than others.
Here are a few reasons you should consider hopping on your bike and setting off on a few two-wheeled adventures.
Increased Cardiovascular Benefits and Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Cycling reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, including strokes, high blood pressure and heart attacks. A Danish study that spanned 14 years and had 30,000 participants aged 20 to 93 years found that regular cycling protected people from heart disease.
Cycling can help to reduce not only the onset of chronic diseases but the risk of heart disease altogether. Increases in cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular fitness can help to combat coronary heart disease which may occur in as much as 50 percent of the population.
Blood Pressure
When you bike, your heart rate increases, stimulating your heart, respiratory system and circulation. Regular cardiovascular exercise will help strengthen your heart muscles, in turn lowering your resting heart rate and reducing blood pressure.
Commuters who bike to work have a 46 per cent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. If they do develop cardiovascular disease, these riders have a 52 per cent lower risk of dying from the condition.
One study also found that high blood pressure, which is correlated with cardiovascular disease in some people, can be reduced by 4.3 per cent after three months of cycling, and 11.8 per cent after six months.
Cycling and Mental health
Most people have been advised at some point to: “go outside and get some fresh air,” when feeling stressed or down. While that may seem like too simple of a solution for a complicated problem, studies have found that spending time outdoors does, in fact, have many mental health benefits When you exercise your body is flushed with endorphins making you, the cyclist, feel good.
Studies have found you become distracted from feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety. As you pedal along, you will likely begin experiencing positive feelings associated with mastery and self-efficacy.
2018 study with more than one million participants found that individuals who exercised had 43.2 per cent fewer days of poor mental health than individuals who did not exercise. Participants who cycled as their main form of exercise had the second-highest level of good mental health days (team sports was the first go to for a ride with a friend!).
