Studies: Cycling is good for your mental health

Cycling is an environmentally friendly way of getting around and keeps you physically fit. But did you know that cycling can also improve your mental health? IMAGE: ©vilma3000 | Stock.Adobe.com

Cycling helps in six mental problem areas

The consumer magazine Utopia.de has compiled scientific studies that deal with the effects of cycling on mental well-being.

#1 Riding a bike reduces stress

A study by the University of Zurich examined 9,000 subjects to determine whether people who cycle in their daily lives feel less stressed than people who use other modes of transportation. The answer: yes, cycling reduces stress. According to the scientists, the reasons for this are that

the rhythmic pedaling movement calms the mind
it helps to reduce the stress hormone cortisol.

#2 Cycling against feelings of anxiety

A psychology study published in “Frontiers in Psychiatry” confirms that endurance sports (in general, not just cycling) have a positive effect on anxiety. This is also due to the reduction of certain stress hormones associated with anxiety.

#3 Bicycling reduces anger (in children)

Another study looked at 208 healthy but overweight children in the US to see if cycling could reduce anger issues. According to the researchers, overweight children were chosen because they often had “behavioral problems” and were often victims of bullying. Therefore, they considered “anger potential” to be more likely in these cases than in normal-weight children. The result of the study suggested “that an after-school aerobic exercise program may reduce or prevent the increase in anger outbursts in overweight, sedentary children.”

#4 Cycling can boost your self-confidence

The University of Central Missouri looked at whether endurance exercise (at least 30 minutes of indoor cycling, treadmill or elliptical) boosts self-esteem. The small study came to the conclusion that the self-esteem of the test group that exercised significantly increased compared to the group that did not exercise (over a period of three weeks).

#5 Cycling can help against depression

A study conducted by the University of Tübingen examined 35 women diagnosed with depression and 20 healthy women as a control group. The study was designed to determine whether those suffering from depression had “reduced serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)”. This was true when compared to the control group. After 30 minutes of exercise, the level increased significantly. After a rest period, the level decreased again, but the training was a successful aid against depression, at least in the short term, and can therefore be integrated into therapy, according to the authors.

#6 Riding a bike promotes “social cohesion” in society

The University of Hagen has a research focus on “social cohesion” in its Faculty of Psychology. According to study author Harald Schuster, it can be measured by a number of factors. These include “acceptance of diversity” and “orientation toward the common good,” which the researchers measured in four areas: