6 Health Benefits of Cycling

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Besides cycling being environmentally friendly transportation, it's also an ideal way of working out for people who live sedentary lives. Incorporating cycling into a daily routine is a great way to prevent many diseases associated with people who spend a lot of time sitting in one spot.

Several studies confirm that an hour of cycling daily results in the loss of about 300 calories. And if sustained, the cyclist loses as much as 2,000 calories per week. So for those looking for a convenient way to lose weight, cycling is the way.

We should specify that when we say cycling, we refer to bicycles, not tricycles or motorbikes. Now, let's dive into the health benefits of using a bike.

What Are the Health Benefits of Cycling?

Improves Heart Condition and Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

The major health benefits of regular cycling are better blood circulation and an improvement in the condition of the heart. When someone engages in regular aerobic activity, cycling included, their heart muscles become stronger, and there is a reduction in the body's resting pulse.

That's not all. Regular cycling also helps reduce the level of harmful fat in the blood. Combining all these leads to the fact that when you can improve the state of your heart, reduce the risk of common heart diseases, and aid overall health just by cycling.

A study on more than fifty thousand people concluded that people who cycled regularly had an eleven to eighteen percent lower risk of chronic heart disease just by cycling regularly every day.

Helps Reduce the Risk of Diabetes

A lack of exercise and unhealthy dietary habits have increased the number of people with type-2 diabetes. However, when you cycle for an hour every day, you can reduce your blood sugar level by up to half.

Even with people who already have diabetes, when they regularly cycle at a moderate pace, there is a corresponding drop in their blood sugar levels for the following twenty-four hours after the cycling activity.

Another study carried out among over fifty thousand people and published in a journal showed that the more you cycle, the less risk of being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes.

Great for Managing Arthritis

Cycling by electric bike is a great way to exercise for people who have arthritis but still want to exercise. The low-impact nature of cycling means that while it builds your core strength, with the help of pedal assistance, it doesn't stress your joints.

It's difficult for anyone with arthritis to exercise effectively because of inflammation of the joints. High-impact exercise will exacerbate an already delicate situation. While riding e-bikes won't help the condition, it will allow people with arthritis to exercise.

Improves Mental Health

The pandemic brought public enlightenment about mental health. Regular cycling can help improve mental health. Regular cycling leads to an increase in the rate of blood pumped around the body. The increase in blood circulation leads to an increase of endorphins in the blood, which improves the mood of the cyclist.

Apart from improving cyclists' moods, cycling is also one of the activities recommended for those battling depression, anxiety, or self-esteem issues. Many cyclists attest that their mood has improved since cycling as a hobby.

For socially awkward people or introverts, cycling can help improve their social lives. Joining a cycling club or meeting up to ride with friends or acquaintances are great ways to socialize and have fun.

Great for Weight Loss

Regular cycling is a great way to lose weight for anyone hoping to lose weight through exercise. Cycling at moderate speed for half an hour can lead to the body losing up to three hundred calories.

Combining dietary changes with regular cycling will surely see anyone lose weight. For beginners, a more sedate pace of about 12 mph for thirty minutes daily is a good place to start. As you progress, you can cycle at moderately higher speeds over the same period for better results.

Which Body Parts Benefit from Cycling?

Without a doubt, you will lose weight and build muscle mass when you cycle regularly. However, there are more body parts that stand to gain from this activity. Some of them are your lungs, glutes, and heart. We go into detail below.

Glutes

Cycling is great for building the muscles in your glutes. Every time you push down your bike's pedals, you use muscles in your glute. Continuous cycling helps you increase the muscle mass in your glutes.

The glutes are not the only muscles that cycling strengthens. The hamstrings, quads, and calf also gain muscle mass with regular cycling. Get a bike today if you want a healthy way to increase your butt size.

Lungs

The lungs are one of the most important organs in the body. They are responsible for filtering air and ensuring adequate oxygen in the body. Regular cycling makes your lungs work better by increasing the rate you take in oxygen.

Increased respiration rate gives the body more oxygen, increases lung capacity, and strengthens the organs. To breathe a little easier, get a bike.

Heart

Like in the case of the lungs, consistent biking improves the condition of your heart. The heart is the pump that ensures blood gets to all body parts. When there's fat in the blood, moving the blood through the body becomes difficult.

We have discussed how cycling helps you burn calories; they also help you burn excess cholesterol. That way, it's easier for the heart to pump blood and improve circulation throughout the body.

How Much Cycling Is a Day Healthy?

As much as cycling is a great way to stay healthy, too much cycling can also be harmful. According to the International Cycling Union, the WHO has recommended about 150 minutes of moderate cycling activity weekly.

One hundred fifty minutes weekly translates to about twenty-two minutes of daily cycling exercises at a moderate pace for anyone between eighteen and sixty-four. If you are thinking of going at a more rigorous pace, then about fifteen minutes should do.

Conclusion

Whether it's a stationary bike, a normal bike, or an electric bike you use for your cycling activity, the expected benefits are the same. With climate change being a front-burner issue, exchanging your car for a bicycle is not bad.

If you are considering getting your bike, why don't you check out the best electric bikes for your budget here?