Benefits of Cycling for Health
Cycling has become one of the favorite sports lately, apart from jogging and run. What’s more, at this time there are also a number of special bicycle paths that make you feel more secure when cycling. So, do you know what are the benefits of cycling for health? If you don’t know, see the following reviews, yes!
Benefits of cycling for body health
Cycling is an option low-impact exercise, which is the type of sport that is generally recommended for people who are just starting out, are obese, or are prone to injury. These sports tend to be easy for you to do and have minimal risk of injury.
If you have often or are just starting to do this sport, you need to know what the health benefits of cycling are as follows.
1. Controlling body weight
Cycling is useful to control or lose weight. This exercise can increase metabolism, build muscle, and burn body fat. To be able to get effective results, make sure the energy expenditure is greater than the intake.
If you’re trying to lose weight, you need to combine cycling with a healthy, balanced diet. The number of calories burned while cycling will depend on the duration, distance, and speed while cycling.
However, a study explains that the benefits of cycling for 30 minutes every day can burn nearly 5 kilograms of fat in a year, you know.
2. Prevent heart and blood vessel disease
Cycling is also classified cardio exercise can stimulate and improve the health of the heart, lungs, blood circulation, and help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This exercise helps strengthen the heart muscle and reduce fat levels in the blood.
Including cycling in a portion of daily exercise can help prevent the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension). A study from British Journal of Sport Science Medicine in 2021 found that exercising with a certain intensity can improve hypertension.
In fact, the effects are the same as when the person takes prescription drugs. Even so, still consult a doctor for the best medical advice.
3. Reducing the risk of cancer
If you maintain a healthy and balanced diet, by cycling regularly, both of these things will help you reduce your risk of cancer.
A published study Journal of the American Medical Association shows that people who have a fit body until old age have a lower risk of contracting lung cancer and colorectal cancer.
Meanwhile, for cancer patients who are recovering, cycling can reduce the side effects of cancer treatment and improve overall quality of life.
4. Avoid diabetes
Reduced physical activity is one of the risk factors for diabetes. Cycling regularly is one way you can reduce your risk and manage diabetes.
Avoiding a lifestyle that is lazy to move, one of which is by cycling more than 30 minutes per day can help you reduce your risk of developing diabetes and other diseases.
5. Increase strength, balance, and coordination
Keeping your posture upright while cycling can help improve strength, balance, and overall body coordination. The balance that is increased as one of the benefits of cycling can prevent the risk of falls and fracture.
Although it doesn’t directly reduce the risk, cycling is an ideal form of exercise for sufferers osteoarthritis. This is because cycling is a light exercise that will only put minimal stress on the joints.
6. Caring for the joints of the body
Dr. Safran-Norton from Harvard Health Publishing recommends cycling for people with age-related joint pain and lower body stiffness. You can still do this exercise with moderate to high intensity, without worrying about overloading your joints.
When sitting on a bicycle seat, you will place the weight on a pair of pelvic bones called the ischial tuberosity. Not the same as walking or jogging, where you put more weight on your feet, making them more prone to triggering injury.
7. Improve mental health problems
The benefits of cycling and other physical activity can help your body produce more of the hormone dopamine. The dopamine hormone functions to increase feelings of happiness, so it can relieve feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety disorders you experience.
A study also states that cyclists experience fewer mental health problems than other sports, such as aerobics or the gym, even in those with no physical activity at all.
8. Prevent the risk of Parkinson’s disease
Cycling is able to ward off various diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. Journal of the American Medical Association published a study examining the relationship between certain levels of physical activity and the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
Exercising with moderate to high intensity can reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease in men. Based on this you of course have to adjust the speed, duration and distance traveled to help you reduce your risk of this disease.
9. Helps extend life
High intensity exercise what you can get by cycling has the benefit of preventing aging down to the cellular level. Strenuous physical activity can increase the capacity and function of the mitochondria, making you younger.
Doing regular exercise can also reduce the risk of premature death, as well as prolong life. The survey of Tour de France cyclists put the average age of former cyclists to be 81.5 years, 17 percent higher than the general population average of only 73.5 years.
Safe cycling tips and things you need to pay attention to
Before you start cycling, make sure you consult your doctor if you have heart disease, arthritis, or bone loss. People with balance, vision, and hearing problems are also advised to use it static bike than outdoor cycling.
Here are some tips that you need to pay attention to to make cycling activities safer.
- Check the condition of the bicycle before riding, such as tires, brakes, handlebars, seats and other bicycle parts.
- Always wear protective head, elbows and knees to minimize wounds and injuries Fall from bicycle.
- Use cycling clothing or avoid loose clothing that catches easily on the bicycle chain.
- Obey traffic laws and pay attention to nearby motor vehicles and pedestrians. Better, use a special bike path if available.
- Consider using sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat if you ride during long hours of the day.
- Avoid cycling if the air pollution conditions are not good.
- Use a bicycle light when cycling at night.
Be sure to follow safe cycling tips to prevent the risk of injury, even accidents that you don’t want. You need to do it regularly, and balance it with a healthy diet and avoid bad habits to get the full benefits of cycling.
Hello Health Group and Hello Sehat do not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please check our editorial policy page for more detailed information.
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Cycling – health benefits | betterhealth.vic.gov.au. Betterhealth.vic.gov.au. (2013). Retrieved 24 March 2021, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/cycling-health-benefits.
The top 5 benefits of cycling – Harvard Health. Harvard Health. (2016). Retrieved 24 March 2021, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-top-5-benefits-of-cycling.
Cronkleton, E., & Minnis, G. (2020). Cycling Benefits: 11 Reasons Cycling Is Good for You. Healthline. Retrieved 24 March 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/cycling-benefits.
Naci, H., Salcher-Konrad, M., Dias, S., Blum, MR, Sahoo, SA, Nunan, D., & Ioannidis, J. (2019). How does exercise treatment compare with antihypertensive medications? A network meta-analysis of 391 randomized controlled trials of assessing exercise and medication effects on systolic blood pressure. British journal of sports medicine, 53(14), 859–869. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099921
Fang, X., Han, D., Cheng, Q., Zhang, P., Zhao, C., Min, J., & Wang, F. (2018). Association of Levels of Physical Activity With Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA network open, 1(5), e182421. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.2421
