The Health Benefits Of Commuting To Work By Bicycle

The benefits of cycling can never be overmentioned, especially when it becomes a way of life and not just an activity that is done to while away time. There are so many mental, physical, and emotional benefits of cycling.

Research carried out by a New York City-based certified fitness trainer, Jessica Mazzucco, revealed that cycling to work “improves mental well-being by combining physical exercise with being outdoors and exploring new views”.

Compared to driving, Commuting to work by bicycle is good for your health and can help lower risks of heart disease and cancer. Cycling is even more beneficial than walking.

Cycling to work is far better than sitting in traffic and inhaling all the smoke that passes you by and is also good for your pocket and the environment.

Still in doubt? Here are a few health benefits you can get by commuting to work on your bicycle;

1. It Will Improve Your Mental Health

Regularly cycling to work can help cut your risk of depression, and anxiety, make you feel more relaxed, and increase your self-esteem, while also helping you sleep better. Cycling can also brighten your mood by releasing adrenaline and endorphins, making you feel more alert and awake when you get to work, and happier in the long term.

2. It’s Good For Your Heart

Cycling is an aerobic activity that will do a lot of good for your cardiovascular health. Research shows that cycling decreases the risk of you developing severe heart disease and vascular disease, and also improves overall cardiac function, enabling your heart to work more efficiently. It also reduces blood pressure and prevents atherosclerosis.

3. It Improves Your Physical Health

It’s no longer a doubt that regularly cycling to work will in the long run develop your fitness, increase your stamina, make you stronger, and improve your aerobic fitness. Cycling uses most of your major muscle groups making it a good muscle workout.

4. It Promotes Weight Management

Regularly commuting to work with your bicycle, even without speeding, can help you manage your weight and trigger weight loss. This is because just like any other weight loss exercise, consistency is more important than intensity. Cycling will also help you build muscles around your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and quads.

5. It Improves Your Lung Health

Not only are you, as a regular cyclist exposed to fewer dangerous fumes than those who travel by car on the same road, but you are also keeping your lungs more active to your destination. This is because vehicle air intakes are directly in line with the exhausts of the car in front and once these fumes enter the car, they are not dispersed like they are outside. But on a bike, you also have the option of taking quieter routes to further reduce your exposure to pollutants.

6. It is Good For Your Joints

While bearing in mind that cycling is a low-impact exercise, this means it’s less likely to result in an overuse injury. This is because your body is supported by the bike placing less stress on your joints, unlike weight-bearing exercises. Crucially this causes far less tissue breakdown and inflammation than running, so you won’t be as sore after cycling as after a run. Cycling also increases muscle mass in your lower body.

7. It Lowers Your Risk Of Developing Chronic Illness

Commuting to work by bicycle can reduce your chances of developing serious conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. A study published in the British Medical Journal in 2017 tracked over 250,000 UK commuters over five years and found that cyclists had 45% less chance of getting cancer and 46% less chance of developing heart disease. Even when accounting for road traffic accidents the cyclists in the study had 24% less chance of dying than all the other commuters.

8. It Will Help You Sleep Better

So much evidence has shown that cycling to work promotes healthier, more restful sleep and also fall asleep more easily. It also helps to improve the quality of your sleep by increasing the amount of time that you spend in deep sleep, the most physically restorative sleep phase. A 30-minute commute by bike is an ideal way to enhance your night’s rest and improve your sleeping pattern.

9. It Boosts Your Brain Power

Cycling has been linked to improving brain health in many studies. This is simple to understand, the flow of blood around the brain was measured to increase by nearly 28% overall compared to rest, and in some other parts of the brain, the blood flow rose by over 70%. This shows that increased blood flow helps keep your brain functioning properly throughout your life.

10. You Will Be Helping Your Environment

Traffic congestion contributes to climate change, as well as air and noise pollution. Regular cycling to work helps decrease your carbon footprint. In a recent study, it was shown that choosing a bike over a car once a day cut the average person’s carbon emissions from transport by 67%.4. Cycling also cuts down harmful chemicals like antifreeze and motor oil, and also harmful emissions like CO2 that pollute the air and contribute to climate change. It also reduces noise pollution from honking.

Safety Tips To Take Note Of When Cycling To Work;

Always wear a helmet to protect your head and neck.
Always make sure your bike is in good working condition before you hop on it.
Ensure to pick a wide bike lane or a not-so-busy street.
Always check both sides of the road before you cross.
Never bike next to parked cars in case someone suddenly opens the door.
Always ride in the same direction as the traffic, not against it.

Physical and mental health is surely the most important thing to look after. If you can do this while saving lots of money and helping the environment, then it is hard to discount the benefits of cycling to work. Get fitter, feel healthier, and improve your life by commuting to work by bike regularly.