<\/p>\n
For starters, Bowling Green State University recently reported
\nthat riding a bike for 10 minutes (seriously, that’s all!) improved the
\nmood of 21 men and women when compared to a control group that did
\nnothing during that time. Not only can cycling your way to happiness
\nimprove your attitude, it can strengthen your relationship, increase
\nyour performance at home and on the job and lead to improved health
\n(Cornell researchers have found that people who are sad tend to eat more
\n and eat less healthy foods).<\/p>\n
While it’s well known that cycling
\ngives you energy, researchers at the University of Georgia have proven
\nthat this energy boost will increase your productivity. The more you
\nmove the more you feel like moving, a fact confirmed by researchers at
\nGeorgia when they analyzed data collected in 70 studies on fatigue and
\nexercise – studies that involved data collected from nearly 7,000 men
\nand women. Ninety percent of these studies revealed that exercise leads
\nto more energy – energy you can use to be more productive at the office,
\n earning that big promotion. Forget the energy drink in the afternoon…
\n it turns out that regular exercise from cycling will offer you more
\nenergy than taking stimulants!<\/p>\n
Sleep statistics reveal that in the
\n last 20 years the average amount of sleep one gets has dropped from 9
\nhours to just 7 hours each night. Cycling can help you make the most of
\nthat limited shut-eye. While cycling increases your energy during the
\nday, it has been proven that regular exercise also helps you sleep like a
\n baby when the lights are off. Getting sufficient rest can also helps
\nyou lose weight as scientists have proven that your body will crave food
\n to replace the energy you lack if your body is getting insufficient
\nrest.<\/p>\n
Researchers at Tufts reported in a review article that those
\n looking to diet will benefit from starting an exercise regimen at the
\nsame time. It turns out that cycling and other forms of aerobic exercise
\n provide what the Tufts research team calls a “spontaneous reduction in
\nhunger.” Not bad!<\/p>\n
Cycling can reduce stress and improve your
\noverall health. Whether you’re at home or at work, stress creates a
\nfight-or-flight response within your body. Your heart pounds within your
\n chest and your cells pump fatty acids into your bloodstream to fuel
\nyour muscles during the impending crisis. Stress hormones like cortisol
\nflow into your bloodstream, putting your body on high-alert, preparing
\nfor action. For most of us, the stressor isn’t anything as exciting as
\nthe zombie apocalypse and it’s unlikely that we’ll need to run for our
\nlife. Instead, this biological reaction leaves our body sitting in a
\ncubicle, festering in an unhealthy stew of high-stress toxicity.<\/p>\n