Here’s today’s bike ride metrics. Temperature at beginning of ride: 52 degrees. Cloudy and a slight drizzle. Wind calm.
Photos from today’s ride:
New helmet cover.
Why I ride:
Biking is something I both love and hate. The conflicting emotions arise from the undeniable physical effort it demands. However, this exertion is precisely what makes it an excellent form of exercise. Most days, I dedicate over an hour to my cycling routine, and in doing so, I’ve discovered a unique opportunity to enjoy a good book or podcast. The rhythmic pedaling and the wind against my face create a calming backdrop that allows me to fully immerse myself in the content. In these moments, the time spent on the bike seems worthwhile, as I can’t help but appreciate the mental and physical rewards it offers.
I especially like having ridden. The post-biking feeling is one of pure satisfaction. The endorphin rush, coupled with a sense of accomplishment, makes the initial struggle and fatigue worthwhile. As I dismount and catch my breath, I relish the sensation of having conquered the challenge, both physically and mentally. It’s a reminder that the things we sometimes love to hate can often be the ones that bring us the most fulfillment. In the end, the love-hate relationship with biking only deepens my appreciation for the sport, as it continually pushes me to overcome my own limitations and embrace the rewards that follow the effort.
Why you should ride:
Improves Sleep Quality:
Cycling can have a significant positive impact on sleep quality. Here’s how this activity helps in enhancing the quality of rest:
- Physical Exhaustion Leads to Better Sleep: Regular cycling, especially when done at a moderate to high intensity, can lead to physical tiredness, which can help you fall asleep faster and enjoy a deeper sleep. Physical activity, like cycling, uses energy and promotes the need for restorative sleep.
- Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Cycling’s ability to reduce stress and anxiety can have a direct impact on sleep quality. High stress and anxiety levels are known to disrupt sleep patterns. By alleviating these issues, cycling can facilitate a more relaxed state conducive to good sleep.
- Balances Circadian Rhythms: Exposure to natural light during outdoor cycling helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythms (the internal body clock that controls sleep-wake cycles). Regular exposure to daylight, particularly in the morning, can help normalize sleep patterns.
- Reduces Sleep Apnea and Insomnia: Regular physical activities like cycling can reduce symptoms of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and insomnia. By improving cardiovascular health and reducing weight, cycling can lead to more regular breathing patterns and a reduction in sleep disturbances.
- Increases Deep Sleep: Exercise such as cycling increases the time spent in deep sleep, the most physically restorative sleep phase. Deep sleep helps to bolster the immune system, supports cardiac health, and controls stress and anxiety.
- Regulates Body Temperature: Post-exercise drop in body temperature can help to facilitate sleep. After cycling, as the body’s temperature gradually lowers, it can signal the body that it’s time to sleep.
- Improves Mental Health: Given cycling’s benefits for mental health, including the reduction of symptoms of depression and anxiety, it can indirectly contribute to better sleep. Good mental health is a key component in achieving quality sleep.
- Lifestyle Regulation: Regular cyclists often adopt healthier lifestyles, including better diet and sleep routines. A healthier overall lifestyle contributes to improved sleep quality.
- Relieves Chronic Pain: For individuals suffering from chronic pain, cycling’s role in pain reduction can lead to improved sleep. Pain is a common cause of disrupted sleep, and by alleviating pain, cycling can contribute to more restful nights.
- Enhances Relaxation: Cycling, particularly at a moderate intensity, can be quite relaxing. This relaxation effect can extend into the evening, helping to prepare the body and mind for sleep.
- Boosts Sleep-promoting Hormones: Physical activity like cycling can increase the production of sleep-promoting hormones like melatonin, especially when done in natural light. Melatonin is a key hormone in regulating the sleep-wake cycle.
In conclusion, cycling can be an effective way to improve sleep quality through a combination of physical exertion, reduction in mental health symptoms, regulation of biological rhythms, and promotion of a healthier lifestyle. Good quality sleep is essential for overall health and well-being, and cycling can play a crucial role in achieving this.
Here’s a couple of links to groups I like. Hopefully, they’ll encourage you to start riding a bike, no matter your age.
Cycling for those aged 70+(opens in a new tab)
Solitary Cycling(opens in a new tab)
My bike:
A Rockhopper by Specialized. I purchased it November 2021 from Venture Out in Guntersville; Mike is top notch! So is the bike. The ‘old’ man seat was salvaged from an old Walmart bike. Seat replaced with new one from Venture Out.
What I’m listening to:
Novel:
Amazon abstract:
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series continues: Lisbeth Salander must face the most important battle of her life, and will finally put her past to rest in this thriller that will “leave Salander’s legion of followers clamoring for more” (The Wall Street Journal). • Also known as the Millennium series
Mikael Blomkvist is trying to reach Lisbeth Salander—the fierce, unstoppable girl with the dragon tattoo. He needs her help unraveling the identity of a man who died with Blomkvist’s phone number in his pocket—a man who does not exist in any official records and whose garbled last words hinted at knowledge that would be dangerous to important people. But Lisbeth has disappeared. She’s sold her apartment in Stockholm. She’s gone dark. She’s told no one where she is. And no one is aware that at long last she’s got her primal enemy, her twin sister, Camilla, squarely in her sights.
Look for the latest book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons, coming soon!
Blinkist nonfiction book summaries:
Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman.
Podcasts:
Waking Up app series/courses:
None today.
Here’s a few photos from previous riding adventures:
The Pencil-Driven Life 