Top 7 Health Benefits of Cycling

Everyone can benefit from being more active. We often live fairly sedentary lifestyles, so it’s important to make time for some sort of physical exercise. In the United States, more than a third of adults are considered obese, while another third are overweight. A lack of fitness leads to many health problems, so it’s important you find some kind of physical activity you enjoy that keeps you healthy. Cycling is a perfect solution to this issue and provides you with incredible health benefits.

Less impact on joints

While running is also great for you, it can be particularly harsh on joints. Cycling is much gentler and causes less impact since your feet aren’t constantly hitting the ground. It has even been recommended for people who suffer from joint problems and can help lower the pain, along with the risk of developing joint problems in the first place.

Better heart health

One of the greatest benefits of cycling is that it increases your cardiovascular health. It decreases your risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and various other ailments. Cycling helps keep your blood pumping and arteries clear. Heart diseases cause around a quarter of the deaths in the United States, so better cardiovascular health is ideal.

Lowers risk of diabetes

Cycling also lowers the risk of diabetes, which can be a major issue for people of all ages. More and more people are developing Type 2 Diabetes, likely due to the lack of physical activity. If you cycle regularly, you’ll greatly decrease your chance of developing diabetes.

Strengthens muscles

While people may not realize it, cycling is a full body workout and strengthens all your muscles, not just your leg muscles. With stronger muscles, you’re able to do other tasks more easily. Keeping your muscles strong as you age is especially important, because it makes it easier to stay active.

Lower body fat

A fantastic benefit of cycling is that it lowers your body fat, thus reducing the likelihood of developing obesity. Maintaining a healthy weight provides you with more energy and makes it easier to complete tasks, while also lowering your overall risk of developing diseases.

Less stress

Exercising is one of the best ways to lower stress. Cycling is a relatively easy activity to do and gives you the same benefits as playing a sport or heading to the gym, but can be done on your schedule and wherever you want. Less stress benefits all areas of your life, including boosting your mood.

Helps with anxiety and depression
Over 15 million adults in the United States are affected by depression. Around 40 million are affected by anxiety-related disorders. Anxiety and depression can be crippling and prevent people from living life to the fullest. Regular exercise increases your endorphins, which helps combat issues from anxiety and depression. A few minutes riding a bike each day can lead to a noticeable improvement for some people.