Cycle your way to Great Heart Health
Blog post contributed by: Isabella Lovett
If you have signed up for a cycling tour of Atlanta, then you may be one of the 100 million Americans who enjoy biking as a sport, hobby, or for transportation. There are many reasons why you might enjoy cycling, including the feeling of freedom, speed and novelty (you never know what beautiful things you might find during your ride). However, one of the key benefits of cycling is undoubtedly its effects on heart health. If you’re in the mood to discover how this sport boosts your body’s circulatory engine, read on.
Cycling Can Help Stave Off Heart Attacks
A University of Leeds study has found that cycling to work is linked to a significantly lower rate of heart attacks (1.7%), as is walking to work. The findings are particularly important because they are based on census data that included 43 million people aged 25 to 74. The authors of the study stated that “The benefits of regular exercise are numerous and we support initiatives to help everyone become and stay active.”
Vigorous Cycling Is Recommended For A Longer Life
Cycling is a healthful pursuit, but if you really want to boost its effects, make sure to up the intensity (ensure you have no underlying health problems and receive an okay from your doctor first, of course). Scientists at the European Society of Cardiology have stated that men who cycle at a fast pace live around 5.3 years longer than those who cycle slowly, while those with average intensity live around 2.9 years more (these figures are for men; for women, they stand at 3.9 and 2.2 years longer, respectively). The researchers stated that their study shows that “a greater part of the daily physical activity in leisure time should be vigorous, based on the individuals own perception of intensity.”
Why Is Exercise So Important For The Heart?
Doctors recommend that adults should obtain at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, in addition to taking part in strength-building activities (e.g. weights training) at least twice a week. Exercise can prevent heart disease in many ways; it increases levels of ‘good cholesterol,’ enhances blood flow in the small blood vessels around the heart, and helps keep weight down. This is why, even for those who already have heart disease, exercise is almost always recommended. Of course, people who have hypertension and heart-related conditions should undertake a doctor-approved exercise regimen.
A Happy Heart Is A Healthy One
Cycling can improve your heart health in an indirect yet powerful way by helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay. As stated by Loyola University Health System scientists, there is a strong link between depression and heart disease. Up to 60% of people with heart disease have depression, and up to 50% of people who have clinical depression risk developing heart disease. Exercise has a positive effect both on mood and heart health, and it could potentially be a vital link that breaks the cycle between both conditions.
If you’re keen on seeing Atlanta’s most beautiful sites, do so comfortably and speedily on a bike. It may just hook you into the liberating nature of this activity, loved by millions across the globe. Cycling can help keep heart disease at bay and lift your mood. Because it is gentle on the joints, it can be enjoyed by people of all ages and conditions. Are you ready to make cycling an important part of your daily life?