Why Cycling Boosts Your Mood

It’s no secret that exercise does wonders for your physical and mental health. Time and time again we’ve heard that working out reduces anxiety, improves sleep, gives us more energy, and so many of us just assumed it was all accredited to endorphins and never questioned why. Well, we did a little digging and found out the #SCIENCE behind why your body loves the ride and how cycling is actually the ultimate mood-boost.

It’s All Connected

The brain is composed of gray and white matter. White matter is essentially responsible for your brain’s connectivity, meaning having strong white matter is crucial for strategic thinking and other cognitive processes (shout out to Freshman Psych for teaching us what that means.) Latest evidence shows that repeating a motor skill, specifically pedaling a stationary bike, increases brain’s white matter—helping you stay sharp and think clearly.

Ride To Relax

Physical activity is the best gift you can give yourself when it comes to relieving stress and preventing anxiety – even just 15 minutes on a bike can reduce cortisol levels (aka the stuff that tells your brain you’re stressed AF). 45 minutes in a dark room, on a bike going nowhere (fast) with no to-do list, no emails, no instagram notifications or group texts? Heaven is a place on earth and it’s called the Dome.

Happy People Don’t Shoot Their Husbands

They just don’t. Excercise releases endorphins (ahem, ZYNdorphins) that trigger a positive feeling in the body and improve self-esteem! You know that euphoric feeling when you first step out of the Dome after CRUSHING your sweat sesh? You’re practically floating to your locker, and the rest of the day just is a series of delightful encounters after that. Yeah, those are endorpins, and we’re here to tell you that they’re linked to general feelings of happiness and overall wellbeing in life. Yes, please.

Wanna #DoALittleMore? Saddle up for a double dose of relaxed and happy in the Dome today!