10 Quality of Life Reasons to
Take Up Cycling
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By Steve Laurel
Exercise is one of the major interests of today’s generation; whether it’s to keep active, lose weight, gain stamina, gain muscle, be social or satisfy a completive drive. It is also an uncomplicated mechanism to naturally improve and stimulate the body. Many people search for answers to a simple question of “which type of exercise is the best.” There is no answer of complete certainty, however, many advantages are offered by cycling, a life-long international sport accompanied by a mere two wheeler. (1) (2)
So, why should you take up cycling?
For Skin Damage
Cycling is known to help the body in numerous ways, dermatologists have proven that cycling regularly, with proper protection, can be of great benefit in preventing skin damage caused by UV radiation and improve aging lines and wrinkles. This may seem a counter intuitive theorem; however, the increase of circulation allows oxygen and nutrients to reach skin cells while inhibiting the appearance of wrinkles, preserving a younger and more refreshed look.
For Mentality
Researchers have discovered that cycling eventually leads to an improvement in mental outlook and focus. (3) It allows new brain cells to build in an area of the nervous system where memory usually deteriorates from age 30 onwards. Cycling is also known to lift spirits releasing positive emotions through endorphins and therefore illnesses like depression is easily handled through exercise as it allows a motive and challenge to face. Recent research has been carried out to reveal those employees who exercised before work or at lunchtime allowed stress to decrease rapidly and a more positive outlook and workload was seen to be produced through the staff. Many bicyclists talk about doing some of there most creative thinking and problem solving while bicycling.
For the Immune System and Bloating
Aerobic exercises (cycling) are known to also allow breathing and heart rates to accelerate allowing the stimulation of contraction of the intestine. In this way, the prevention of feeling bloated occurs also decreasing the risk of inhabiting bowel cancer.
Exercising at a moderate level allows immune systems to become of greater activity and therefore fighting flu and infection in the best way possible. Cycling regularly can create a prevention of diseases and diabetes as the body allows itself to become of more efficiency. (4)
For Sleep
Cycling is a great managing problems such as stress. When finishing a long and stressful day, cycling for 30 minutes will ease the brain and allow fatigue to raise from within. This helps those who suffer from insomnia as the time taken leading to sleeping is known to halve after exercising. Sleep comes quicker and more naturally.
For the Environment
Although this may seem a logical reason to take up cycling, I can’t stress enough the importance of cycling to prevent pollution. How long does it take you to get to work? 10…15 minutes of motor travel? Couldn’t you wake up them 10 minutes earlier and cycle down, instead of adding to greenhouse gases that are essentially destroying the planet your generations will live with? If you are a walker, the difference between walking and cycling can be significant, it takes four times a long to stroll along than to cycle. Think of the additional free time you could have at home after work. Even being home an extra 10 minutes really can make the difference.
For Saving Money
The cost of filling a tank with petrol or diesel is trending in one direction –higher. People all over the world are in terror as prices become almost too much to handle. However, by simply cycling to wherever the destination (especially if it’s nearby) offers a financially prudent alternative. You will be pounds richer than you had imagined.
For Family Matters
When you’re a parent, struggling to discover ideas and places to take children can be a laborious task, one child wants to go to a park, the other shopping, the other a toy store. However, why not have family days out cycling? It’s not only beneficial for you, after the long rides, the children will find sleeping no problem at all. Cycling is a whole family activity which can take the children on adventures and also improve the parent health – as outlined above -- allowing benefits all around. Children are known to be influenced by parental habits. Hopefully they will follow your example and make cycling the norm with they make their own travel choices.
Weight Loss
Of course there is the fact of weight loss. Many consider running or a treadmill as the most effective way to start slimming down. However, if you’re of large person the impact on joints is high and it takes a lot of energy to start run program so this is often a failed strategy – resulting in zero effectiveness and no positive outcome. Starting out on a bike is easier as the saddle supports the body weight as you exercise make it easier to start the process of burning calories. Cycling is also a great way to work all parts of the body.
It’s a Way of Helping Others
If you’re a fan of charity work and working for the good of others, cycling offers a range of activities and opportunities to participate in events to raise money for a good cause. Allowing some fundraising effort for the less fortunate not only will boost happiness within you but also the ability to conquer and face any challenge put before you.
Use it as a Sociological Exercise
While taking up cycling, you can meet many enthusiasts who are keen to have the same goal as you. It is a great opportunity to work feel better about yourselves...together. It boosts confidence and meeting people with the same stories as you can develop to eventually be a stress-relief in many ways. It also means you can spend quality time with a loved one. Whether it’s your partner or a friend, it’s a great way to work together and let loose from any worries and stress issues.
Overall, cycling is a favoured exercise throughout the world and this title is well justified through the benefits. It’s recommended highly by dermatologists and medics to be truly beneficial to you, the way you desire.
Steve Laurel is passionate about cycling and mountain biking. He is the webmaster and writer for bike rack for SUV, where you can get information on choosing a rack, reviews and tips.
Sources:
(1) Cycling vs. Swimming, http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2007/dec/15/weekend7.weekend10
(2) Cycling vs. Running, http://road.cc/content/news/108719-new-study-shows-cycling-really-better-running
(3) Cycling and Happiness, http://www.oopsmark.ca/blogs/oopsmark/13153421-the-science-behind-why-cycling-makes-us-happier
(4) Cycling and the Immune System, http://road.cc/content/news/26654-get-your-bike-beat-common-cold-say-researchers
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