Why Get on Your Bike

A big part of looking and feeling good is staying active. The more you move, the fitter you will be, and the more calories you will burn. With exercise, it really does not matter what type you choose, it is all good for you.

Today, we are specifically looking at the health benefits of cycling. This wonderful form of exercise can help you to get fit, and stay that way. It also benefits you in a lot of other ways.

Cycle to work – lose 13Ibs

A great way to add cycling into your life is to ride to work. For many people, this is an easy change to make.

The fact you do not have to sit in traffic and can cycle on smaller roads means you can cut time and distance from the journey. This means that, often, riding to work does not take much longer than your normal commute. It is, therefore, relatively easy to incorporate a bike ride into your life without burning up lots of extra time.

When you do switch to cycling to work, you will lose weight. On average, someone that commutes on a bike loses 13Ibs in just a year.

Also, keep in mind the fact that you will be better toned. Typically, for every 9Ibs lost you drop a dress size. So the weight you lose equates to 1.5 dress sizes, add in the toning effect and you can easily drop two whole sizes simply by riding to work.

You can buy all of the equipment you need on online bike shops, so getting a bike and making this change is easy.

Sleep well

Studies show that people who cycle for between 20 and 30 minutes a day sleep better. This is the case even for insomniacs. In one study, those who suffered from insomnia fell asleep in half the time it normally took them.

Sleeping properly is crucial for general health. It also has a big impact on how you look. See the next point.

Look younger

A study conducted by researchers at Stanford University revealed that cycling improved the way the skin responded to UV light. It made the skin more resilient, which slows down the development of sunspots and wrinkles. Add in the fact that getting a good night’s sleep slows the aging process, and it is easy to see how cycling helps you to look younger for longer.

Better mental health

Cycling improves your cardio-respiratory health. This brings many, many benefits. One of the biggest is an improvement in brainpower.

The act of riding a bike requires the hippocampus to work overtime. That is where most of your new brain cells are made. Therefore, it makes sense to stimulate this area of the mind as much as you can.

In addition, researchers from the University of Illinois found that those who take up cycling improve their performance in mental tests by 15%. Some studies indicate that cycling protects people from developing diseases like Alzheimer’s.

When you ride a bike outside cortisol is released into your body. This vital hormone helps you to cope with stress and feel happier, so riding a bike regularly can reduce the chances of you developing depression.

These are just a few of the reasons it makes sense to take up cycling, but there are lots of others. Without a doubt, if you want to get fit, look great, push back the years and stay mentally strong getting on your bike is definitely a good idea.

 

By Eric

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