What are the health benefits of Cycling ? 6 benefits of Cycling for your health | Health Tips
There are many things to appreciate about cycling, including exploring new areas and feeling fresh air on your face. Cycling is great exercise because it has a long list of health benefits.
Any form of exercise benefits your body and mind, but unlike other aerobic activities (such as running or walking), cycling can be done at a high intensity without putting too much stress on your joints.
Numerous studies that have examined the relationship between cycling and health have found that just a few days of riding a week is enough to achieve the following health benefits.
1. Cycling increases aerobic fitness (without stressing the joints)
Physical fitness includes cardiovascular or aerobic exercise. Everyone 18 and older is recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio) each week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PDF), with more associated with greater long-term health benefits. One approach to incorporate this action is cycling at any intensity.
And according to Bianca Beldini, DPT, a USA-certified physical therapist and triathlon coach based in South Nyack, New York, cycling offers a fantastic option if you have or want to prevent hip, knee, or ankle problems. future. Cycling is considered low-impact, which she says means it puts less stress on the joints in the lower extremities. Cycling can challenge a person's entire system without putting unnecessary stress on the joints or using incorrect bike settings.
2. Cycling strengthens the core
You can think of cycling as cardio rather than strength training. However, Beldini says that because you have to maintain balance while riding an outdoor bike, this type of riding can put a lot of strain on your abs and strengthen your core. This is especially true when traveling over rougher terrain, where you will often have to change course to avoid obstacles.
According to the expert, the involvement of several muscles in the lower back, abdomen and hips is necessary to balance the center of gravity of the body above the rotating wheels. Even small movements while driving can activate these muscles.
Neel Anand, MD, director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles, adds that a stronger core can have a significant impact on your health. According to him, a stronger core makes you less likely to experience back discomfort, headaches and energy dips because you're more balanced throughout the day. Whatever the activity, a stronger core and more stability can improve the efficiency of your movement, he says.
3. Exercise can help bone health
Dr. Anand says that higher-impact exercise, such as jumping and sprinting, puts the body under stress, which can increase bone density, an essential part of healthy aging. But if you're going off-road, driving doesn't have to mean losing just because you're having fun.
For example, a previous study found that mountain biking can provide enough ground impact to be beneficial for bone strength. The researchers point out in the study that maintaining stability also requires the use of upper body muscles, and the interaction of these two elements can generally improve bone structure.
4. Cycling can help with sleep
According to research published in December 2021 in Sleep Medicine Reviews, adding a ride in the early evening may help if you have trouble sleeping.
Despite the fact that the analysis took into account a variety of aerobic activities, according to Melodee Mograss, PhD, a cognitive neuropsychologist at Concordia University in Montreal's Department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, cycling seemed to be the most advantageous form of aerobic exercise. The best time to cease driving, he continues, is two hours before to going to bed.
"We don't know why cycling is so prevalent in this. However, we are aware that activities such as cycling raise body temperature rapidly when they are performed, forcing the body to compensate for the heat gain through cooling processes," he says. . This usually leads to more efficient temperature regulation, which carries over into sleep and can help you fall asleep faster and sleep longer as a result.
5. Cycling is good for cardiovascular health
Cycling, like other forms of aerobic exercise, benefits the heart, lungs and muscular system. This improves cardiovascular performance, including blood pressure and overall circulation, as well as better oxygen uptake.
According to previous studies, motorcyclists are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than non-cyclists.
This also applies to indoor cycling. Studies have found that combining indoor cycling with a balanced diet can improve aerobic capacity, blood pressure, lipid profile and body composition. These findings were published in the journal Medicina in August 2019.
6. Cycling improves mental clarity
The benefits of exercise for mood and mental health apply to cycling as well.
100 adults aged 50 to 83 were studied in the study, which was published in February 2019 in PLoS One. Of these, about one-third were non-cyclists, another third (roughly) pedaled at least three times a week, and the remaining third used e-bikes, which have a motor that assists in pedaling. Participants were required to continue these cycling (or non-cycling) routines for the duration of the study, which lasted 8 weeks. Compared to non-cyclists, those who rode both conventional and electric bikes at least three times a week had significantly improved mental health, cognitive performance, and overall perceptions of health and well-being.
According to Beldini, different people might like one type of cycling over another. "You might find that mountain biking, for example, improves your overall concentration because it requires such technical skill and focus to ride through difficult terrain. Higher speeds and hill climbs can be more exhilarating in road cycling, increasing the enjoyment."
She recommends spending some time experimenting with different riding styles and riding surfaces to see which one you like best.
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