Cycling offers countless advantages. It increases fitness, it’s good for your health and it’s also cheap. Besides that, cycling is also better for the environment. The Netherlands is famous for the many bikes you see in the streets, but also for the people using them. It’s a cycle country. There are more bikes than people. Cycling is also very popular, you can take the bike fast and do grocery shopping. But why is cycling so good?
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ~ Albert Einstein.
Who run the bike? Brains!
Moving prevents your aging brain from decay. Also moving ensures that your brain stays flexible and adapts better to different circumstances, this is called plasticity. Moving even makes your brain communicate better. Running decreases depressive feelings, you can use it as a therapy. Cycling has the same effect, and as an advantage you don’t have to overburden your joints.
A step to relax
Do you want to relax your body and spirit? Go and move! Cycling creates serotonin and dopamine, this gives you a happy feeling. Also your brain makes a feel good drug, namely: endorphin and cannabinoids. Cannabinoids belong to the same family as marijuana, but your body makes it itself. All these fabrics make you become happier, but how do you become less stressed? By cycling you can better regulate adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol. This makes you feel less stressed, and the happiness hormones will make you more happy.
Biking keeps the doctor away
Cycling have physical benefits. Many people suffer with overweight. Overweight and too little exercise leads to diabetes-2, it’s a frequent problem. When you eat too much, the energy get stored as energy and glucose. This glucose will increase your insulin level in your blood. Moving will prevent the energy surplus. Your muscles actually absorb the insulin and convert it into energy. Because of this you’re using your food optimally. Cycling also works as fat burner, and it’s at the same time good for the blood vessels. The blood vessels become more flexible because the waste is being transported. Everyday, half an hour cycling can be enough to get the fat burning process started. Is it hard for you to make time for cycling? Try to go by bike for little things, like the supermarket or your work. It isn’t only just healthier, you’ll also feel much fitter.
NiceDay: plan an activity on your Daily Planner to cycle 30 minutes every day.
