Three Ways Cycling Makes You Healthier and Happier

By guest writer James Hewitt.

It can feel challenging to fit everything into our increasingly complex lives. Many of us are​ ​trying to succeed at work, maintain good relationships, all while staying fit and healthy.​ ​Unfortunately, as much as we might enjoy riding our bikes, it all too often gets cut from our​ ​schedules. In case you need some extra ammunition to convince yourself to get out for a​ ​ride at the weekend, I’m going to share three evidence-based ways that cycling can improve​ ​your life.

Back in the early 2000s, I spent a few years racing full-time for an under-23 development​ ​team, based in France. I returned to the UK to study sports science and eventually set up my own coaching business. A pivotal moment in my new career occurred​ ​while I was working with a group of enthusiastic cyclists, who were also high-performing​  ​executives. I observed that my clients’ working lives had a huge impact on their physical​ ​performance. It was then I had a revelation. I realised it was possible to conceptualise​ ​‘knowledge work’ – in which we think for a living – as a ‘cognitive’ endurance activity.​ ​My subsequent work has endorsed this, as has a tremendous amount of scientific research​ ​into the benefits of physical activity. So, I thought it might be interesting to share some​ ​findings you may not have come across before.

1.) Having a cycling friendship group could be as beneficial as quitting smoking.

Many of us will have heard and experienced that social relationships are important for our​ ​mental health. But did you know that friends make a difference for physical health, too? In​ ​fact, as risk factors to health, the relative lack of social relationships can rival cigarette​ ​smoking, high blood pressure, obesity and low physical activity.

A 2010 analysis of nearly​ ​150 studies, representing more than 300,000 people, estimated that strong social​ ​relationships may contribute to​ ​improved mortality by as much as 50%. Practically, the​ ​analysis suggests that the effect of having good relationships is comparable to quitting​ ​smoking. Maybe consider that next time you’re thinking about ducking out of that group​ ​ride.

2.) Cycling may improve your memory.

Do you feel like you’re always forgetting where you left your car keys or your phone?​ ​Perhaps it’s just me but the fact remains, in a time where we’re bombarded with​ ​information, many of us would like to find ways to enhance our ability to recall facts and​ ​figures more efficiently. In 2016, a group of researchers investigated how best to​ ​incorporate physical activity as a means to improve memory performance. While various​ ​studies have described how physical​ ​activity can improve cognitive performance, this study​ ​focused mainly on the importance of timing.