The benefits of daily cycling may be too numerous to list, but there are probably some aspects then you may have yet to think about. We all know that riding a bike is excellent for your physical health, but what about your mental health?

As studies have revealed, there has always been a link between exercise and improved mood, but it goes beyond just a good mood. As more and more research is being done, there is a clear link between exercise (specifically outdoor exercise) and combatting depression, anxiety, and stress.

Pros Of Cycling For Mental Health

• Promotes an Overall Healthy Lifestyle 
• Increases your confidence
• Cycling helps fight depression
• Keeps your mind strong
• Increased Focus
• More Energy
• Better Sleep
• Creative Breakthrough

Cycling for positive mental health

• It improves your mood. Regular cyclists often talk about the "cycling high", cousin to the well-recognized "runner's high". Daily cycling pumps blood around your body at a greater rate, allowing for the rapid spread of endorphins and other suitable substances like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.

• It promotes positive mental health. Self-Esteem, depression, anxiety, and stress are all positively affected by exercise. Still, the nature of daily cycling has to be one of the most effective activities for the head and heart.

• It helps you sleep better. Regular riding helps synchronize your circadian rhythm and can help reduce stress hormone levels that can make proper regenerative, deep sleep difficult.

• Improves your memory. Riding a bike helps build new brain cells responsible for memory. See the 'Your brain on biking' section later in this piece for more Improved creative thinking. The regular, uniform movement of cycling relaxes the brain, stabilizing both physical and mental functions.

• Cycling promotes new thought patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It can be a great way to "zone out," but you can even use it as a form of meditation. Tip: Concentrate on the actions, each movement of your legs, the rhythm of your breathing, and the wind on your face. Focus only on the physical sensations and actions of riding, and you may be surprised just how easily your mind clears.

Social Benefits

• Cycling means: Increased contact with your neighbours and community.
• Calmer and safer roads.
• More "eyes on the street
• "Safety in numbers."

Environmental benefits

• Leaving your vehicle at home:
• Cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change.
• Reduces noise pollution and congestion.
• Decrease the need for new parking lots and roadways.
• Reduces your ecological footprint.
• Reduces air pollutants (walking and biking emit no greenhouse gases).
• Saves valuable green space from development.

Where to get help

• Your doctor
• Perfect Cyclist

Summary

We often write about the benefits of exercise for physical and emotional health. Several studies have found that the combination of exercise and exposure to the outdoors is a bit of a magic combination for emotional and mental health – it’s now considered a key therapeutic component of any strategy to combat depression, anxiety, and stress.