POINTS OF VIEW
“Cycling is a great endorphin booster and has many positive and powerful benefits for our mental health. As well as being a great stress reducer, cycling can help you regain some balance in your life” Hopping on your bike and embracing the open road can do wonders for your mental wellbeing and will help you feel a sense of freedom. When you’re cycling, you have to focus on balance, momentum and very little else. The sensations of the present moment leaves your mind with very little time or space for racing thoughts which might otherwise preoccupy you. By focusing on your emotions throughout the ride, it allows you to feel the tightness in your calves as you push up inclines and the breeze against your face as you descend, leaving you very little headspace to be preoccupied with anything else. If going out is particularly anxiety-provoking at the moment, then cycling is a great place to start to help you venture back to the outdoors.
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Aerobic exercise can significantly reduce feelings of anxiety and help prevent those feelings from developing into panic attacks or anxiety disorders. If your anxiety is creating a barrier to getting outside on your bike, try starting with a tranquil route, such as local waterways or canals, where the serenity of nature provides a calm and relaxing environment. Breaking free from the confines of our homes, exercise can provide you with a sense of self-control and satisfaction which in turn can make you feel more positive about yourself. Our sense of self may have taken a little dip during this time, and that is completely understandable. Many of us are embracing a more natural state, possibly far removed from our previous people-facing appearance, and finding what makes us feel like ourselves is extremely important. n
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