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Home > Tips and advice > Health advice

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Health advice

What are the health benefits of cycling?

There’s lots of information around about how cycling is good for you, but how can regular cycling actually benefit your health?

1. Cycling helps you to maintain a healthy heart and lowers the risk of a heart attack.

Cycling strengthens your heart, lowers your resting pulse and helps reduce blood fat levels. A major study of more than 10,000 people found those who cycle at least 20 miles a week are half as likely to have heart problems as those who don't cycle at all.

2. Cycling helps to improve your general levels of fitness.

Your strength, stamina, aerobic fitness and general muscle function will all be improved by regular cycling. On average, cyclists live two years longer than non-cyclists and regular cyclists are as fit as an average person 10 years younger

3. Cycling is a good form of exercise for people with bone and joint problems.

Because the bicycle supports your body, cycling isn't necessarily a weight-bearing exercise. This means it's good for people with certain bone and joint problems because it puts very little pressure on them, but it makes it less effective for protecting against osteoporosis.

4. Cycling can help you to control your weight.

By burning body fat and raising your metabolic rate you can lose weight. If you undertake physical activity regularly you can enjoy a more varied diet without increasing body weight. Cycling is one of the more comfortable forms of physical activity for those who are new to exercise, allowing most people to get fit easily and safely without undue physical strain. Cycling burns about 300 calories an hour, so if you do it twice a day, the numbers soon add up.

5. Cycling is an exercise which can be built into your daily routine.

If you're worried about making time for exercise, why not see whether it's feasible to cycle to and from work, which would incorporate excellent exercise into your normal daily routine.

6. Cycling helps to reduce stress

Anxiety, stress and depression can all be alleviated by cycling, partly due to the physical activity itself, but also due to the pleasure and satisfaction of riding a bike. Cycling is convenient for short journeys and often faster across town than other forms of transport. It's a stress free means of taking physical activity because it can form part of a daily routine

Disclaimer

Some of this information has come from the BBC and the CTC websites. No breach of copyright is intended.

The advice on this page is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your health, please consult your doctor before cycling.