There is no question that any kind of exercise is good for your body, but did you know that it is also good for your mental health? Any kind of physical activity that gets your body and blood moving can boost your mood and help clear your mind of the worries of the day. As you hop on your bike and glide along the road with the wind in your face, how can you not feel relaxed?
Exercise is Good for Your Mind
There have been many studies done proving that exercise can help relieve stress, depression, and anxiety disorders. The most important part of this is that when you get your blood flowing, it increases the endorphins in your body that help make you feel good. In addition, concentrating on the path you are on lets you forget about the issues that may be bothering you.
Physical Health of Your Brain
You may have already known that exercise is good for your mind, but did you know that biking can reduce your chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease and dementia? Keeping your brain busy and concentrating on doing something (anything really) promotes neurological growth and reduces inflammation in the brain and the body. In fact, just the motions of pedaling and steering your bike along the path gives your brain something to do.
Endorphins and Energy
There are other benefits as well, of course. Those endorphins that help you feel better can also help you stay more mentally alert and sharp. This encourages you to do more biking and then you get more benefits. Increasing your blood flow also gives you more energy, making you want to do more and bike even longer. Even if you only start out by doing a short lap around the block, you may be biking a few miles by the end of the month.
Can Biking Cure Your Insomnia?
Riding is also fantastic for helping you sleep. Not that you need to go out and bike until you are ready to drop, but when you get enough exercise during the day, you sleep better. And when you sleep better, you feel better. Your body and your mind. Biking is even better for you than indoor activities because it gets you outside. You get fresh air and sunlight, which is also good for you.
Soaking Up the Sun
Have you ever noticed that just being in the sun can make you feel better? Biking is also good for you because being outside gets you out in the sunshine, which promotes the production of vitamin D. In fact, your body will actually turn your cholesterol into vitamin D when you are exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, getting rid of cholesterol while boosting vitamin D. The lack of vitamin D has been shown to be a major cause of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is a form of depression that people get in the wintertime when you get less sun exposure.
Therapy is Still Therapeutic
When you are trying to deal with a mental issue like depression or an anxiety disorder, biking may be the last thing on your mind. You may not feel like going out and doing anything. In fact, one of the main symptoms of depression is lack of motivation and many who have severe depression can have trouble just getting out of bed to do anything, let alone going biking. If you have depression, anxiety, or any other mental health condition, therapy is always the best choice for most mental issues. Talking to a mental health professional can help you feel better and get you back out there on your bike again. By visiting betterhelp.com, you can talk to them from the comfort of your own home.
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.